President Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Oleksandr Poklad, former senior deputy of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU), as acting head in a decree issued July 17, as the Cabinet of Ministers tapped Maksym Tsutskiridze as temporary head of Ukraine's National Police.

Key developments on July 17: * Cabinet appoints Yvhen Khmara as acting defense minister after day of uncertainty * Ukraine strikes oil refinery in Russia's Yaroslavl Oblast, vessels in Black, Azov seas, among other targets, General Staff says * Ukrainian drones strike 12 Russian 'shadow fleet' vessels in Black Sea as Crimea comes under large-scale attack * Russian Tu-95 bomber suffered 'critical damage' in strike on Engels air base, Zelensky says * Ukrainian drone units strike over 1 milli

Editor's note: This story is being updated with additional details. Ukrainians gathered in Kyiv and other cities on July 17 for a second straight day to protest President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to dismiss Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov while retaining Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. The renewed demonstrations came after Zelensky said following the first day of protests on July 16 that he "understands, hears, and responds" to public concerns. Protesters argue, however, that he h

A former combat medic and one of the lead figures in this week's protests against the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov as defense minister believes people "close to (Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr) Syrskyi" are "trying to intimidate me in order to stop the protests," he told the Kyiv Independent on July 17. Dmytro Koziatynskyi, who formerly served in the Da Vinci Wolves battalion, urged people to take to the streets on July 16 to "show the president that we are against constant reshuffles in the gov

The Kyiv Independent’s Kateryna Denisova and Kateryna Hodunova speak with military analyst Mykola Bielieskov and opposition lawmaker Inna Sovsun about the conflict between Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, why Zelensky sided with Syrskyi, and what the shake-up could mean for Ukraine’s military, domestic politics, and war against Russia.

Ukraine struck two tankers, including a gas carrier, as well as a tugboat in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov overnight on July 17.

According to the report, Oleksiy Sukhachov’s brother Oleksandr has bought 143 apartments at a price far below their market value, with an apartment being valued at the price of a smartphone. The construction of the apartment buildings involved has been investigated by Oleksiy Sukhachov’s State Investigation Bureau, raising questions about a potential conflict of interest.

Ukrainian forces are using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to strike around 90% of Russian targets, according to the Defense Ministry.

Two of Ukraine's most important wartime ministries had been thrown into legal limbo following President Volodymyr Zelensky's government reshuffle, leaving the country without confirmed political leadership at both the Foreign and Defense ministries. After parliament approved the new Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi on July 16, both Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov automatically lost their posts under Ukrainian law. The usual procedure would

"The more Moscow attacks civilians, the more sanctions must be imposed," said the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas when she first suggested the new measures.

Ahead of its annual spectacle of military ostentation — noticeably scaled down this year—  Russia's Defense Ministry issued two statements on May 4, 2026: one declaring a unilateral ceasefire for May 8 and 9 and presenting the announcement as evidence of restraint and humanitarian intent; the other warning that Ukraine risked a "massive missile strike on the center of Kyiv" should it disrupt Victory Day events. Only from a Western perspective did the two statements appear contradictory. To seas

A former adviser to dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov has accused Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi of covering up friendly-fire incidents and the deliberate weakening of some Ukrainian brigades in the face of Russian assaults. Sternenko's livestream comes two days after Fedorov's dismissal as defense minister, a move that caused a seismic political shock in Ukraine. It also comes a day after Fedorov himself held a press conference and admitted he pushed for Syrskyi to be replaced,

"We are increasing the price Russia pays for its aggression against our country and our people," President Volodymyr Zelensky said on X.

Ihor Klymenko is expected to replace Rustem Umerov, who has served as secretary of the National Security and Defense Council for the past year.

The Kyiv Independent's biggest membership drive yet hit its goal, we launched a program to help other Ukrainian newsrooms diversify revenue, and our journalists appeared in The Bulwark, FAZ, RTVE, and more.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has swapped the roles of the two men overseeing Ukraine's relations with the EU.

The bill's supporters are now focused on securing floor time for a vote.

Russian forces launched a Kh-31P anti-radiation missile, seven Kh-59/69 guided missiles, and 130 Shahed-type attack drones against Ukraine overnight, the Air Force said.

Among those gathered in Kyiv on July 16 to protest the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov were members of Ukraine's military voicing fears that the controversial decision could seriously hinder the country's war effort. "People who are actually trying to bring our victory closer keep getting removed or replaced," Serhii, a 43-year-old veteran protesting alongside active-duty soldiers, told the Kyiv Independent. President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision a day earlier to dismiss Fedoro

Nine dry cargo ships, one oil tanker, one gas carrier, and one tugboat were hit in the Black Sea during the attack, Robert Brovdi, commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, said.

The number includes 1,370 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.

Russia launched a missile strike on the southern city of Odesa on the evening of July 16, killing two people and injuring at least eight others, including children, local officials reported.

Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar said on July 16 that authorities have launched a large-scale official investigation into former Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto's close relations with Russia.

President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 16 dismissed Tymur Tkachenko as head of the Kyiv City Military Administration, according to a decree published on the President's Office website.

On July 10 this year, Russian authorities designated Nadezhdin as a “foreign agent,” effectively preventing him from running in any future elections.

Key developments on July 16: * Ukraine's Omega special forces say drone strike hit Russian Su-24 bomber in occupied Crimea * Rallies in Kyiv, other cities against Defense Minister Fedorov's dismissal * Zelensky says he appoints acting SBU chief Yevhen Khmara acting defense minister * Ukrainian parliament appoints new Cabinet, delays decision on defense minister * Ukrainian parliament appoints Koretskyi as prime minister * UK's Starmer announces $340 million for Gripen jets for Ukraine dur

"It's demoralizing," former soldier Bohdan said as he stood amid thousands of others in Kyiv on July 16 protesting outside the President's Office against the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. "People had hope that reforms were coming, that things were finally changing for the better. They were already beginning to happen. Now it feels like everything is going back to the way it was," the 29-year-old told the Kyiv Independent. President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision a day earlier

Khmara previously led the agency's Alpha Special Operations Center, which has played a key role in Ukraine's long-range strike campaign against Russia. He has largely stayed out of the public eye.

The Ukrainian authorities said that a HUR employee had been charged with murdering Anastasia Berezovska, a suspect in the murder attempt on Iermolaiev. The employee has also been investigated as a suspect in the attempted assassination of Iermolaiev, they said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to oust popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after just six months on the job could prove to be his most harmful decision of the war in recent years.

The Cabinet's appointment was marred by controversy over the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was widely seen as highly effective, with Zelensky's decision to fire him triggering nationwide protests on July 16.

The Su-24M is a modernized version of Sukhoi Su-24, Soviet-designed supersonic frontline bomber that Russia uses to carry out strike missions against Ukraine.