Hundreds rally in Kyiv as Zelenskyy reshuffles cabinet (AFP)Hundreds of people took to the streets in central Kyiv on Thursday to protest president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's move to dismiss the defence minister, as Ukraine's parliament appointed a new prime minister in a major cabinet reshuffle.Ukraine's parliament approved Serhii Koretskyi, the head of state-owned energy company Naftogaz, as the country's new prime minister, backing Zelenskyy's nomination with 289 votes.The predominantly young protesters chanted Fedorov's name and directed crude remarks at Skryskyi. They also shouted, "Syrskyy go away!" and "A European army for a European country!"Similar demonstrations were also held in other cities across Ukraine, including the central city of Dnipro and the southern port city of Odesa.Zelenskyy cited Koretskyi's experience in the energy sector, saying he was best suited to prepare Ukraine for another winter under wartime conditions.Outgoing defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said he declined Zelenskyy's offer to serve as his adviser, as cited by Reuters.Fedorov, 35, is widely regarded as a moderniser whose technological expertise has been credited with helping improve Ukraine's military capabilities in recent months against Russia's larger forces. He had been expected to leave the government after serving just six months as defence minister.Zelenskyy did not publicly provide a reason for Fedorov's expected departure.Before becoming defence minister in January, Fedorov led Ukraine's digital transformation efforts and earned a reputation as a moderniser. He gained widespread public support for driving the rapid development and deployment of drone technology, while also launching several successful e-governance platforms.After taking office, Fedorov pledged sweeping military reforms, saying the armed forces had faced about 200,000 troop desertions and draft evasion by around 2 million people.In a series of social media posts, Fedorov highlighted what he described as the key achievements of his brief tenure. He said he had taken the risk of redirecting funds originally allocated for salary payments toward mid-range strike capabilities, fibre-optic drones, reconnaissance systems and other military technologies.He also cited expanded drone procurement, Patriot air defence contracts, successful ballistic missile tests and extensive reforms to military procurement.At the same time, Fedorov acknowledged that he had been unable to complete the Defence Ministry's organisational transformation "according to Nato standards and common sense," shift all procurement to competitive tenders, or build a culture of accountability.Zelenskyy was forced into a swift U-turn in July last year after large-scale street protests erupted over a law that would have weakened the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption watchdogs. The backlash posed the first significant challenge to his leadership since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.