Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday endorsed the state energy company Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretsky as his candidate to lead the new government, a day after parliament accepted Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko’s resignation. The Verkhovna Rada is scheduled to vote on the new appointment on Thursday, and the governing party’s parliamentary majority makes his confirmation highly likely.
“The priorities are clear: prepare for the winter,” Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv, according to Reuters. “Therefore, after all consultations, Serhii Koretsky is undoubtedly the best-prepared candidate for the office of prime minister of Ukraine.”
Koretsky’s selection highlights Kyiv’s urgency in preparing for the upcoming heating season. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, it has regularly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, and each winter becomes a major test for civilians. Koretsky took the helm at Naftogaz in May 2025 after turning the state oil company Ukrnafta from a loss-making entity into one of the most profitable state-owned firms—a track record Zelensky specifically cited when offering him the post. According to sources cited by Ukrainska Pravda, the president outlined the future government’s priorities in that meeting: securing gas reserves, protecting energy infrastructure, and stabilizing the economy under wartime conditions.
Svyrydenko’s dismissal automatically triggered the resignation of the entire cabinet and set in motion the largest government reshuffle since the war began. Zelensky announced the reorganization on July 12 via a Telegram message, saying changes were needed to “implement an updated political strategy,” without providing further details. Parliament accepted her resignation on Tuesday, July 14, with 258 votes in favor and only one against. An economist by training, Svyrydenko became prime minister in July 2025 and was responsible for securing the strategic minerals agreement with the United States. Her departure comes amid the Midas affair, an alleged $100 million bribery scheme at the state nuclear company Energoatom that already led to the dismissal of presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak and several ministers since November 2025.
The most sensitive question for the new cabinet is the fate of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, 35, who took the post in January 2026 after serving at the Ministry of Digital Transformation. Fedorov is the architect of Ukraine’s long-range drone strategy: under his leadership the number of domestic drone manufacturers rose from seven at the start of the war to over 500 today. Asked whether he would remain in office, Zelensky said he planned to meet with Fedorov and military commanders before meeting with his party’s deputies, without giving a definitive answer.
That ambiguity has practical implications. For weeks Ukraine has stepped up drone attacks on Russian territory, a tactic that has changed the conflict’s dynamics and requires continuity in technical leadership. Zelensky’s decision to prioritize energy management at the head of the executive comes as the power grid remains a primary target for Moscow. The unresolved status of the minister overseeing the technological aspects of the war underscores how much of the government reshuffle is still being worked out.