Oleg Sukhov

President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision on July 12 to reshuffle the government came as a surprise to many — both on the streets and in the halls of parliament. According to the Constitution, the president cannot single-handedly dismiss the prime minister. Yet lawmakers who spoke with the Kyiv Independent appeared largely unfazed by Zelensky's move to replace Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko, which parliament rubber-stamped on July 14. The reasons behind the reshuffle remain unclear. Many lawma

There are three things to know about lawmaker Denys Maslov. He chairs parliament's legal policy committee, responsible for overhauling Ukraine's courts. He is widely expected to become the country's next justice minister. And he insists Ukraine's judicial reform is on track. Maslov, who sources say could move from parliament to the cabinet as part of this week's government reshuffle, faces mounting pressure from the European Union to advance judicial reform while fending off sharp criticism f

The prospect of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov being replaced after just six months in office has prompted a largely critical reaction from lawmakers, public figures, and Kyiv residents, while opposition lawmakers and political analysts have suggested that tensions with parliament and President Volodymyr Zelensky may be driving his possible removal.   Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko's unexpected resignation has paved the way for a broader cabinet reshuffle, and Fedorov could be among those

While President Volodymyr Zelensky portrayed the reshuffle as a "change in political strategy," the actual reasons behind the move, which triggers the resignation of the entire cabinet, remain unclear.

Editor's note: The story was updated after a person familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent that Yuliia Svyrydenko has not yet agreed to accept the post of an ambassador in Washington. Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi is set to become Ukraine's next prime minister, a Ukrainian official and a person familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. The expected appointment comes after Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko confirmed on July 12 that she would step down following President Vo

Under Zelensky, sanctions have increasingly been imposed on Ukrainian citizens. Legal experts describe the practice as highly questionable and warn that it is used to punish government critics and political opponents.

"The court's ruling is manifestly unlawful and violates the fundamental rights of journalists and the public to gather and disseminate information of public interest that is publicly available about the country's highest-ranking officials," Olena Shcherban, a deputy executive director at the Anti-Corruption Action Center, said.

Editor's note: Ukraine’s Supreme Court on July 10 rejected ex-President Petro Poroshenko’s lawsuit seeking to overturn his successor Volodymyr Zelensky’s sanctions against him. Read about this here. When President Volodymyr Zelensky slapped sanctions on ex-lawmaker Boryslav Bereza on July 7, many were left wondering what, if anything, linked him to Russia or posed a threat to Ukraine's national security. Bereza has never publicly expressed any sympathies for Russia and has been a pro-Western p

Ukrainian authorities have found the body of a woman suspected of attempting to kill Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev in Monaco on June 29, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Security Service (SBU) said on July 7.

President Volodymyr Zelensky would get 32%, while Zaluzhnyi would be the runner-up with 16%, and Zelensky's Chief of Staff Kyrylo Budanov would come third with 11%, according to the survey.

Kyiv's recent initiatives to commemorate 20th century Ukrainian nationalists, including the Ukrainian National Pantheon, have contributed to the ongoing escalation in its tensions with Poland.

Editor's note: A Ukrainian military intelligence officer has confessed to killing a woman suspected of attempting to assassinate businessman Vadym Iermolaiev in Monaco, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Security Service (SBU) said on July 7. Read about it here. Ukrainian businessman Vadym Iermolaiev, who faced an assassination attempt in Monaco on June 29, is little-known nationwide but wielded immense influence in the city of Dnipro. Iermolaiev is controversial. He has renounced his Ukrainian

Lawmaker Mykola Tyshchenko was also charged with money laundering and lying in his asset declaration.

"Nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes" is an idiom often attributed to American statesman Benjamin Franklin. In Ukraine, another certainty has emerged over the years: society's persistent demand for judicial reform — and the judiciary's equally persistent resistance to it. Following the 2014 EuroMaidan Revolution, Ukraine's highest court was expected to become a flagship of the country's Western-backed reform agenda. Instead, the Supreme Court has become mired in controve

"The funds have already been transferred to the state budget and will be used to strengthen Ukraine's defense capabilities and social resilience," Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on Telegram.