Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky and head of military intelligence Kyrill Budanov (File)

Friday’s Coverage: Zelensky Confirms Meetings to Advance Ukraine-Europe Proposals

UPDATE 1353 GMT:

Continuing his Government reshuffle, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has chosen Denys Shmyhal, the current Defense Minister and former Prime Minister, as Energy Minister.

Shmyhal, 50, was appointed Defense Minister in July after he was Ukraine’s longest-serving Prime Minister, holding the position from 2020 to 2025.

Justice Minister Herman Halushchenko and Energy Minister Svitlana Hrynchuk were dismissed on November 19 after implication in a $100 million corruption scandal involving the nuclear energy industry.

UPDATE 1338 GMT:

At least six civilians have been murdered and 42 injured by Russian attacks across Ukraine over the past day.

Air defenses downed 80 of 95 drones, but the other 15 struck eight locations.

In Kharkiv city in the northeast, a 22-year-old woman and a 3-year-old boy were slain, and 31 people, including a six-month-old infant, were wounded. An office building was destroyed, and a four-story apartment building heavily damaged.

In the Donetsk region in the east, one civilian was killed and four injured in the city of Kostiantynivka. One person was murdered and two wounded in the town of Druzhkivka.

In the Kherson region in the south, two people were killed and two injured.

Casualties were also reported in the Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions.

ORIGINAL ENTRY: President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced a “substantial overhaul” of the Government, with “internal changes to make Ukraine more resilient”.

In his nightly address to the nation, Zelensky spoke of “good results from state institutions that need to be scaled up, as well as problems that should not carry over into the new year”. He said a “wave of personnel changes” were underway with “more decisions will follow regarding institutions”.

The changes are being made as national security advisors from Ukraine meet partners from Europe, with the US joining virtually, to develop the Ukraine-Europe proposals to end Russia’s 47-month full-scale invasion.

Zelensky appointed Kyrylo Budanov, the head of military intelligence since 2020, to become his Chief of Staff. He replaces Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s long-time aide, who resigned in late November because of his alleged involvement in a $100 million corruption scandal in Ukraine’s nuclear energy industry.

Budanov, 39, said his new position was “both an honor and a responsibility – at a historic time for Ukraine – to focus on the critically important issues of the state’s strategic security”.

Oleh Ivashchenko, the current head of the Foreign Intelligence Service chief, will succeed Budanov at the military intelligence service HUR.

Before the confirmation, Zelensky posted about a meeting with Ivashchenko:

The President indicated that he wants to replace Defense Minister and former Prime Minister Denys Shymhal, appointed only six months ago, with Mykhailo Fedorov, the current Minister of Digital Transformation.

“Mykhailo is deeply involved in issues related to drones and is very effective in the digitalization of state services and processes,” Zelensky said.

Russia’s “Heinous” Strike on Kharkiv Murders 2

Zelensky also commented on a “heinous” Russia missile strike early Friday that murdered at least two civilians and injured 25.

The fatalities were a 3-year-old child and a woman who may be their mother. A 6-month-old baby is among 25 injured.

Two Russian missiles on a residential neighborhood destroyed a five-story apartment block and damaged civilian infrastructure, a shopping center, and cars.

Zelensky said:

Unfortunately, this is how the Russians treat life and people – they continue killing, despite all efforts by the world, and especially by the United States, in the diplomatic process.

It is only Russia that does not want this war to end, and every day it does everything to ensure the war continues. That is why support for Ukraine must continue as well, and every day we need reinforcement of our air defense, our positions, our protection of people’s lives.