Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has submitted his resignation to parliament, paving the way for a significant government reshuffle as Kyiv, Interfax reported on July 15.

"I am grateful to the team of the government, to our MPs, to the President of Ukraine for the joint work during these extremely difficult years for our country," Shmyhal wrote on the Telegram messaging app, Reuters reported on July 14. “I thank every soldier, every volunteer, every Ukrainian man and woman for their endurance and faith.”

Shmyhal, who has served as prime minister since March 2020, confirmed that he had submitted his resignation to the chairman of Ukraine’s parliament.

The move follows months of speculation over changes in the top ranks of Ukraine’s political leadership, as Zelenskiy looks to shore up his hold on power in the face of a deteriorating situation on the battlefield and fraught relations with the Trump administration.

The reshuffle is expected to include the appointment of a new prime minister and changes in several key ministries, although the government has yet to confirm any nominations.

As of July 15, 2025, Ukraine has not officially confirmed who will replace Shmyhal as Prime Minister. However, multiple credible media outlets in Ukraine have reported that Oleksandr Kubrakov, the current Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration and Infrastructure Minister, is a leading candidate for the role. Kubrakov has played a central role in Ukraine’s wartime infrastructure strategy and post-war recovery planning, including oversight of international aid and reconstruction funding.

Under Ukraine’s constitution, the president nominates the prime minister, who must then be approved by the Verkhovna Rada.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has previously spoken about the need for “renewal” in his administration. The reshuffle is seen as an effort to streamline Ukraine’s executive branch and improve efficiency in managing foreign aid, military logistics, and post-war recovery.

Shmyhal’s government has overseen Ukraine’s economic and financial policies during wartime, including negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and coordination with Western donors.

According to Reuters, the parliament is expected to vote on the resignation in the coming days, after which a formal nomination for the next prime minister will be submitted by the president and put to a vote.

"Ukraine continues to fight for its freedom and independence, for its future in the family of European nations," Shmyhal said in his statement.

Past shake ups

Zelenskiy has reshuffled his government several times in the last three years, partly to consolidate his grip on power and partly to contain public criticism.

The most controversial decision was to sack former commander-in-chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi who now serves as Ukraine’s ambassador to London.

Zaluzhnyi was fired as he became more popular than Zelenskiy, who reportedly saw him as a threat to his hold on the presidency. The commander remains ahead of Zelenskiy in the polls and is a possible replacement if presidential elections, currently suspended because of martial law, were held in the future.

The former Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba quit for unspecified reasons in September last year in another major reshuffle. Kuleba submitted a resignation letter to the Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, but did not give any reasons for his departure.

The former Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov was fired in the same reshuffle, after his ministry was embroiled in a major corruption scandal. The ministry was caught procuring supplies for the army at massively inflated prices for things like eggs and winter jackets, although Reznikov himself was not accused of personally benefiting from the scams. Reznikov was appointed in November 2021 and played a crucial role in securing Western military aid to support Ukraine's war efforts.

One person that is not leaving is Zelenskiy’s right hand man head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andriy Yermak, who is thought to be the power behind the throne and who has reportedly concentrated a lot of power in his own hands.

Yermak is reportedly in a feud with Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraine’s spy master and chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, who has reportedly tried to oust Budanov from his office nine times. Budanov is the third most popular politician in the country after Zaluzhnyi and Zelenskiy.