Overview
- On Friday, the Verkhovna Rada confirmed Serhiy Koretskyi as prime minister after President Volodymyr Zelensky accepted the resignation of the entire cabinet to allow a government reshuffle.
- Zelensky named General Yevhenii Khmara as acting defence minister while Ihor Klymenko was tapped to coordinate national security, leaving some key security portfolios still in flux.
- Thousands of protesters in Kyiv and other cities spent at least two days calling for the return of popular former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who left after a public dispute with commander‑in‑chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.
- Ukrainian long‑range drone units reported heavy strikes on Russian tankers and logistics between July 6 and 16, and Russia has stepped up reciprocal strikes that have deepened power and fuel shortages in Crimea.
- The EU approved sanctions on one person and five firms tied to Russian drone production as Western partners weigh continued military aid while Kyiv focuses on energy resilience and winter preparedness.