On January 13, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved the resignations of several high-ranking officials: Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, and Head of the SBU Vasyl Maliuk.
Earlier, Shmyhal and Fedorov submitted their resignations on January 9, while Maliuk announced his departure on January 5, stating that he would continue working within the SBU system on asymmetric special operations.
Positions Fedorov and Shmyhal are expected to take
President Volodymyr Zelensky has already proposed Fedorov for the position of Defense Minister. Zelensky praised Fedorov’s effective work as Minister of Digital Transformation, noting that he is actively involved in the “Drone Line” project and has successfully implemented the digitalization of public services.
According to Zelensky, technological development in defense is crucial for saving the lives of Ukrainian servicemen. He emphasized that Russia currently holds an advantage in the scale of attacks and assaults, and Ukraine must respond with active use of modern technologies, rapid development of new weapons, and new tactics.
Denys Shmyhal has been proposed by the President of Ukraine for the role of First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Energy. Previously, he headed the Cabinet of Ministers from March 2020 to July 2025, becoming the longest-serving Prime Minister in independent Ukraine. On July 16, 2025, he was appointed Defense Minister.
Yevhen Khmara, head of the Special Operations Center “A,” has been appointed as Acting Head of the SBU.
Attempts at new appointments
At the same time, the attempt to appoint Shmyhal as First Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Energy failed, as only 210 deputies voted in favor out of the minimum required 226. The parliament also failed to approve Fedorov’s appointment as Defense Minister.
A repeat vote is scheduled for January 14.
Conclusion
The resignations and failed appointments reflect an active phase of personnel changes in the Ukrainian government and security structures. Despite Shmyhal’s and Fedorov’s successful work in their previous roles, the parliament did not support their new appointments, opening a period of consultations and repeat votes. These decisions indicate an effort to balance personnel policy and ensure effective management of state agencies during wartime, particularly in the defense and energy sectors.
