{"id":37160,"date":"2026-07-16T17:19:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T21:19:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/ukrainians-protest-zelenskys-cabinet-reshuffle-firing-of-defense-minister\/"},"modified":"2026-07-16T17:19:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-16T21:19:37","slug":"ukrainians-protest-zelenskys-cabinet-reshuffle-firing-of-defense-minister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/ukrainians-protest-zelenskys-cabinet-reshuffle-firing-of-defense-minister\/","title":{"rendered":"Ukrainians Protest Zelensky’s Cabinet Reshuffle, Firing of Defense Minister"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at protests in Ukraine<\/strong>, Iran<\/strong>\u2019s new threats to the Gulf <\/strong>region, and dangerous air quality levels for Canada<\/strong> and the United States<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Goodbye, Fedorov <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Thousands of people took to the streets on Thursday to protest Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky\u2019s cabinet reshuffle. Although several notable officials were replaced or reassigned, including Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, public outcry primarily centered<\/a> on the ouster of one individual: Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.<\/p>\n

Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at protests in Ukraine<\/strong>, Iran<\/strong>\u2019s new threats to the Gulf <\/strong>region, and dangerous air quality levels for Canada<\/strong> and the United States<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Goodbye, Fedorov <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Thousands of people took to the streets on Thursday to protest Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky\u2019s cabinet reshuffle. Although several notable officials were replaced or reassigned, including Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, public outcry primarily centered<\/a> on the ouster of one individual: Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.<\/p>\n

At just 35 years old, Fedorov has garnered the reputation of a modernizer<\/a>. Having spearheaded Kyiv\u2019s technology drive, including its drone development program, Fedorov is seen by many as key to Ukraine\u2019s recent battlefield successes. Mid- and long-range drone attacks have proved to be particularly effective at disrupting Russian supply lines and straining Moscow\u2019s wartime economy.<\/p>\n

During his six months in office, Fedorov also redirected funds earmarked for salaries into military investments, persuaded Starlink CEO Elon Musk to cut off the Kremlin\u2019s access to its satellite communications system, and pushed for greater transparency in weapons procurement deals\u2014all accomplishments Fedorov himself detailed in a social media post<\/a> following his firing. Many Ukrainians have praised Fedorov for cracking down on corruption and pushing for asymmetric warfare that would limit Ukrainian casualties.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, protesters<\/a> in Kyiv and other cities across the country held up signs that read \u201cHands off Fedorov\u201d and \u201cStop sabotaging victory!\u201d while chanting \u201cShame!\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet Fedorov was not without enemies. The Financial Times<\/em><\/a> reported on Wednesday that Fedorov had angered powerful people in the country\u2019s political and defense circles by refusing to give lucrative procurement contracts to their preferred companies. However, Zelensky on Thursday cited a growing rift<\/a> between Fedorov and Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, the commander of Ukraine\u2019s armed forces, as the reason for his dismissal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just showing that if the sides can\u2019t resolve an issue, I will have to resolve it,\u201d Zelensky told reporters.<\/p>\n

Fedorov appeared to confirm that rationale<\/a>, accusing Syrskyi of blocking all of his recent initiatives, including needed drone reforms. \u201cThe war has changed completely,\u201d Fedorov said on Thursday, arguing that new advancements are necessary to counter Russia. \u201cUnder this arrangement [with Syrskyi as commander], I personally do not know how the war can be won.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zelensky appointed Maj. Gen. Yevhen Khmara<\/a>, the acting head of Ukraine\u2019s Security Service, to serve as interim defense minister. But several high-ranking officers remain unappeased. \u201cI believe that the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov is a great evil for the country\u2019s defense capability,\u201d Col. Pavlo Yelizarov, the deputy commander of Ukraine\u2019s air force, wrote in a resignation letter on Thursday. Yelizarov warned that Fedorov\u2019s dismissal would weaken Kyiv\u2019s air defenses and lead to more fatalities.<\/p>\n

This was Zelensky\u2019s second cabinet reshuffle in a year. But more notably, Thursday was the second time that Ukraine has faced mass anti-government protests since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.<\/p>\n

Despite the controversy over Fedorov\u2019s dismissal, parliamentarians overwhelmingly approved Sergii Koretskyi to be Ukraine\u2019s new prime minister. Koretskyi previously served as head of Ukraine\u2019s state energy company, Naftogaz. Zelensky has argued that this experience makes him best equipped to counter Russian attacks on the country\u2019s power grid.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s Most Read<\/strong><\/h3>\n

What We\u2019re Following<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Threats to energy. <\/strong>Iran warned<\/a> on Thursday that \u201call infrastructure in the region will be crushed\u201d if the United States attacks the country\u2019s civilian infrastructure, as U.S. President Donald Trump has previously threatened to do.<\/p>\n

Tehran has also reportedly instructed the Houthis in Yemen to shut the Bab el-Mandeb if Trump follows through on his threat to attack Iran\u2019s power plants and bridges. Sources told Reuters<\/a> on Thursday that the Iranian proxy group has already completed preparations necessary to be able to attack shipping near the Red Sea gateway. Doing so would further exacerbate the global energy crisis caused by Iran effectively closing the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n

Trump has not yet ordered attacks on civilian infrastructure, but the bombing campaign against Iranian military targets continues. Strikes intensified<\/a> for a fifth consecutive day on Thursday, with the U.S. military hitting targets farther north as well as firing at a ship that was reportedly trying to break the U.S. naval blockade. Just hours earlier, U.S. Central Command<\/a> said troops had hit Iranian command and control centers, air defense sites, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance locations.<\/p>\n

Hazardous air quality. <\/strong>Forest fires in northwestern Ontario blanketed<\/a> Canada\u2019s Greater Toronto Area in heavy smoke on Thursday. With air quality at dangerous levels and visibility reduced for much of the region, Ottawa warned locals\u2014regardless of age or health\u2014to remain indoors or wear \u201cwell-fitted and properly worn\u201d masks to reduce exposure. Toronto ranked<\/a> second Thursday morning for the world\u2019s most polluted city, according to Swiss monitor IQAir.<\/p>\n

Dense smoke from the fires also darkened skies across several U.S. regions<\/a> on Thursday, including the Upper Midwest, the Great Lakes, and New England. According to the same Swiss report, the U.S. city of Detroit was the most polluted city in the world early Thursday, with the air quality index hitting \u201chazardous\u201d levels. Minneapolis and Chicago, also located near the Canadian border, hit the third and fourth spots, respectively. Meteorologists warned on Thursday that the smoke could reach as far south as Maryland.<\/p>\n

Worsening climate change in recent years has raised temperatures and reduced rainfall, creating the ideal conditions for wildfires. Experts have found that the number of days<\/a> when it is both hot and polluted has also increased. More than 115 million people are forecasted to be exposed to air quality levels that are unhealthy or worse<\/a> through the end of this week.<\/p>\n

New levies. <\/strong>The United States unveiled<\/a> a 25 percent tariff on many Brazilian imports late Wednesday, reigniting a trade war between Washington and Latin America\u2019s largest economy. Although several major Brazilian products\u2014such as aircraft parts, beef, and rare earths\u2014will be exempt from the new duties, the late-night announcement is expected to stir up concerns that the Trump administration is renewing its global trade war.<\/p>\n

In February, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the White House did not have the authority to impose sweeping tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The decision marked a big win for countries such as Brazil, which faced one of the highest U.S. tariff rates in the world. But Trump vowed to impose new tariffs under different authorities\u2014specifically, Sections 122 and 301 of the 1974 Trade Act; Wednesday\u2019s announcement relies on Section 301 for justification.<\/p>\n

Over the past few months, U.S. and Brazilian officials have tried to negotiate a favorable trade deal\u2014without success. \u201cFor the past year, [Brazilian President Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva] has put his own ego ahead of making a deal for the welfare of the Brazilian people, and these tariffs are the price for that,\u201d U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote<\/a> on X on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Lula immediately denounced<\/a> the new tariffs and vowed to bring the matter to the World Trade Organization. The new duties are expected to take effect on July 22.<\/p>\n

Odds and Ends<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Say hello to Likweli (or what zoologists call Colobus congoensis<\/em>), a new species of monkey identified<\/a> in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Researchers stated on Wednesday, following the release of a study<\/a> in PLOS One<\/em>, that the small, orange-lipped primate has \u201cdistinctive cranial, dental, and skeletal characteristics that separate it from every other known African colobus monkey.\u201d It is the fifth new monkey species to be identified in Africa in the past 75 years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at protests in Ukraine, Iran\u2019s new threats to the Gulf region, and dangerous air quality levels for Canada and the United States. Goodbye, Fedorov Thousands of people took to the streets on Thursday to protest Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky\u2019s cabinet reshuffle. Although several notable officials were replaced […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37161,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11611],"tags":[5452,205,1493,3423,12371,8038,18016,11954,51,13033,938,5449,953,2359,12743,26773,26774],"class_list":["post-37160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-spyballoon-global-news","tag-cabinet","tag-defense","tag-drones","tag-firing","tag-homepage_regional_europe","tag-minister","tag-missile-defense","tag-paywall-free","tag-politics","tag-post-to-buffer","tag-protest","tag-reshuffle","tag-russia","tag-ukraine","tag-ukraine-russia","tag-ukrainians","tag-zelenskys"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",0,0,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",0,0,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",0,0,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",150,150,false],"medium":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",300,300,false],"large":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",1024,1024,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",1536,1536,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",2048,2048,false],"post-thumbnail":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",370,265,false],"kava-thumb-s":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",150,85,false],"kava-thumb-s-2":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",230,230,false],"kava-thumb-m":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",400,400,false],"kava-thumb-m-vertical":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",370,500,false],"kava-thumb-m-2":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",570,450,false],"kava-thumb-l":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",1170,650,false],"kava-thumb-xl":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",1920,1080,false],"kava-thumb-masonry":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",600,999,false],"kava-thumb-justify":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",640,640,false],"kava-thumb-justify-2":["https:\/\/foreignpolicy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/UkraineProtests-GettyImages-2285689671.jpg",1280,640,false]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"#RiseCelestialStudios","author_link":"https:\/\/design-providers.com\/rise\/author\/ralph-c\/"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"SPYBALLOON GLOBAL NEWS<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Welcome back to World Brief, where we\u2019re looking at protests in Ukraine, Iran\u2019s new threats to the Gulf region, and dangerous air quality levels for Canada and the United States. Goodbye, Fedorov Thousands of people took to the streets on Thursday to protest Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky\u2019s cabinet reshuffle. 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