Ukraine’s Prime Minister Resigns as Zelenskyy Reshuffles Government

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Resigns as Zelenskyy Reshuffles Government

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has resigned as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy moves ahead with a broad reorganisation of his administration aimed at reshaping the country’s political strategy during the ongoing war with Russia.

Announcing her resignation on social media, Svyrydenko said it had been an honour to lead the government during one of the most difficult periods in Ukraine’s modern history.

She disclosed that she had already discussed her next responsibilities with Zelenskyy but did not reveal details of the new role.

“I remain ready to serve the Ukrainian state and carry out every task aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s position, defending our national interests and bringing a just peace closer,” she said.

Zelenskyy confirmed that the outgoing prime minister would be assigned to oversee what he described as a new and important area of Ukraine’s relations with one of its key international partners.

According to the president, experienced officials will now take responsibility for specific foreign policy priorities to ensure agreements reached with foreign leaders are effectively implemented.

The Ukrainian leader also announced that changes would extend to the country’s law enforcement agencies as part of the wider restructuring.

Shortly after the announcement, he met with several senior officials, including Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko and Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Svyrydenko, who previously served as economy minister, became prime minister in July 2025 after playing a leading role in negotiating a minerals agreement between Ukraine and the United States, a deal widely viewed as strengthening strategic ties between both countries.

The latest overhaul will be the fourth major government reshuffle since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, reflecting Zelenskyy’s continued efforts to adapt his administration to the demands of the prolonged conflict.

Meanwhile, hostilities between the two countries continued over the weekend. Russian authorities said a Ukrainian strike in the Samara region killed one person and injured three others, including a child.

Officials also reported damage to residential buildings and an industrial facility, while Russian media identified the Syzran Oil Refinery as the likely target.

In the Rostov region, local authorities said an empty tanker was damaged in a separate drone attack along the Azov-Black Sea maritime canal, adding that there was no threat of an oil spill.

Ukraine has increasingly targeted Russian oil refineries and energy infrastructure in recent months, a strategy Zelenskyy has described as “long-range sanctions” intended to pressure Moscow into ending its invasion. Russia, in turn, has intensified missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities.

Russia’s Defence Ministry also claimed it had launched strikes on the Ukrainian ports of Odesa and Chornomorsk, although Ukrainian officials had not commented on the claims at the time of reporting.