Who is Serhii Koretskyi? Ukraine's new PM appointed by Zelenskyy amid Russia war

Kyiv: Ukraine's parliament on Thursday approved Serhii Koretskyi, the chief executive of state energy company Naftogaz, as the country's new prime minister. The appointment is part of a major government reshuffle initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as the war with Russia continues.

Koretskyi secured 289 votes in Ukraine’s parliament after being nominated by Zelenskyy, who said the energy executive was the best candidate to prepare Ukraine for another difficult winter amid the continuing threat of Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure.

The 48-year-old engineer and economist becomes Ukraine's third wartime prime minister. He has no previous government experience and is not affiliated with any political party. Analysts say his reputation as an experienced manager and his political neutrality worked in his favour.

Koretskyi has spent more than two decades in Ukraine's energy sector. Since May 2025, he has served as CEO of Naftogaz, the state-owned oil and gas giant responsible for much of Ukraine's gas production, imports and supply. Before that, he headed Ukrnafta, the country's largest oil company, and previously held senior leadership positions in private energy companies, including WOG, one of Ukraine's biggest fuel station networks. 

The cabinet reshuffle has also attracted attention over the dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov after only six months in office. Fedorov has been widely credited with accelerating Ukraine's drone programme and modernising defence procurement.

His removal sparked protests outside parliament, with demonstrators carrying placards supporting the outgoing minister and questioning the decision. Smaller demonstrations were also reported in other cities.

Critics argue that replacing Fedorov during the ongoing war could disrupt military reforms and weaken momentum in defence modernisation. Unconfirmed Ukrainian media reports have suggested tensions between Fedorov and Commander-in-Chief Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi may have contributed to the decision, though no official reason has been given.

Zelenskyy has described the overhaul as part of an effort to refresh Ukraine's leadership and pursue an updated political strategy as the country enters another challenging phase of the war with Russia.

(With AP inputs)