Ukraine is undergoing a government reshuffle, as President Zelensky has officially submitted to the Verkhovna Rada the nomination of Serhiy Koretsky as the country’s new prime minister. However, discussions over who would fill the key cabinet positions lasted for two days, with the final lineup only becoming known late in the evening of July 15. The outcome triggered an extraordinary wave of public dismay.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The atmosphere is reminiscent of events exactly one year ago, when in July 2025 the Ukrainian authorities decided to undermine the independence of the country’s anti-corruption institutions, prompting widespread disappointment and a sense that reforms and positive change were being rolled back. That decision sparked massive spontaneous protests. Something similar now appears to be unfolding. A poorly explained and deeply unpopular decision could deal a political blow to Zelensky no smaller than the one he suffered a year ago. As one member of parliament remarked in conversation: “It seems to have become our tradition – once every July we do something we’ll later be ashamed of.” So what happened? Let’s start with the good news. The new Cabinet of Ministers – the good news According to analysts interviewed, the positive aspect of the new cabinet is that several genuinely capable officials have remained in office. As expected, former Prime Minister and current Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal will remain in his position while also serving as First Deputy Prime Minister. His main task will be to prepare the country for a difficult winter, during which Russia is expected to attempt to disable Ukraine’s energy infrastructure with massive missile strikes after it failed to fully recover from the brutally frigid 2025-26 winter.