Zelenskyy Announces Major Government Reshuffle, Proposes Replacing Prime Minister

According to Lianhe Zaobao, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on July 12 he will carry out a major government reshuffle, proposing to replace Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko and adjust the heads of some law enforcement agencies as Ukraine prepares for winter amid continued risks to power and heating infrastructure from Russian ballistic missile attacks and a shortage of interceptor missiles. Zelenskyy did not name a successor, but sources said he may appoint Naftogaz CEO Sergii Koretskyi, 48, or former prime minister Denys Shmyhal, 50; a source also said Svyrydenko will become Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States. Zelenskyy is set to attend a Coalition of the Willing meeting in Paris on Monday to seek additional air-defense commitments; an official at the French presidency said talks will focus on missile-defense cooperation, including procuring more US Patriot missiles and exploring alternatives involving European and Ukrainian defense industries, such as jointly developing a system that complements Europe’s SAMP-T and the Patriot system with Ukraine playing a key role in production.