Thursday, July 17. Russia's War On Ukraine: News And Information From Ukraine

Forbes

3 days ago

Newly appointed Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko attends a session of Ukrainian parliament ... More in Kyiv on July 17, 2025, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine. (Photo by ANDRII NESTERENKO/AFP via Getty Images)
Dispatches from Ukraine. Day 1,240
Ukrainian Major Government Reshuffle
Ukraine's parliament appointed Yuliia Svyrydenko as the new prime minister on July 17, marking the country's first change at such a high level since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February, 2022. The new, trimmer government led by Svyrydenko consists of just 16 members, one of the smallest cabinets in the country's history. This downsizing resulted from merging some ministries, such as folding the Ministry of Strategic Industries into the Defense Ministry. The cabinet retains most ministers from the previous government.
Svyrydenko pledged to prioritize reliable army supply, expansion of domestic weapons production and boosting the defense forces' technological strength. 'We must act swiftly and decisively,' she wrote in a post on X. Her efforts, however, will be constrained by a growing budget deficit and shrinking financial support from allies, most importantly the U.S.
One of the most consequential changes is the appointment of former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as the new defense minister. While his new post appears to be a demotion, Shmyhal will take charge of a critical ministry that commands nearly half the nation's budget during a critical phase of the war, shaped by drones and U.S. President Donald Trump's shifting positions.
In an address to parliament, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that he expects the new government to increase the share of domestically produced weapons to 50% from the current 40% within six months. In addition, he has appointed Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna as a special envoy to the U.S. She is expected to replace the current Ukrainian ambassador to Washington, Oksana Makarova.
U.S. and Ukraine Explore 'Mega Deal' to Boost Bilateral Military Capabilities
Trump and Zelenskyy are reportedly negotiating a 'mega deal' that could boost lagging U.S. drone capabilities by making use of Ukrainian drones. According to Zelenskyy, the agreement would involve U.S. purchases of Ukrainian drones tested in the war with Russia. Kyiv, in turn, would procure a range of American weapons. 'The people of America need this technology, and you need to have it in your arsenal,' Zelenskyy told The New York Post.
The Ukraine conflict has starkly illuminated the role of drones in modern warfare: both sides exchange hundreds of aerial strikes daily. Some of the most notable drone operations, such as Ukraine's destruction of dozens of Russian strategic bombers in 'Operation Spider's Web,' might rewrite the future of warfare.
U.S. military experts acknowledge that America trails adversaries such as Russia and China in drone technology and operational proficiency. Trent Emeneker, project manager at the Defense Department's Defense Innovation Unit, lamented, 'If we had to go to war tomorrow, do we have what we need? No.' This capability gap was highlighted in a recent Defense Department exercise in Alaska, where soldiers struggled to counter prototype drones. In response to these challenges, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a reduction of bureaucratic hurdles impeding drone production to 'match capabilities to the threats of today.'
Russian Attacks on Ukraine
Russia saturated Ukrainian airspace with 400 drones and ballistic missiles overnight into July 16. Ukraine's Air Force reported intercepting 198 Shahed drones, with another 145 decoy drones suppressed via electronic warfare systems; some 57 drones and missiles, however, reached targets across 12 regions. The strike reportedly concentrated on Kryvyi Rih, where the city mayor called the attack the most intense since the onset of the war, and Ukraine's second-largest city, Kharkiv. While no deaths were reported, the nationwide barrage wounded at least 15 people.
Russian forces also launched daytime strikes on July 14-16, killing at least 15 civilians across Ukraine. In the oft-struck eastern province of Donetsk, Russian shelling killed seven civilians and wounded 48 others. In the northeastern Kharkiv province, three residents were killed and 19 others wounded. In the southern Kherson region, Russian drone strikes killed two civilians and wounded another 29; in the central Dnipropetrovsk province, two people were killed and 14 more wounded, while in the northern Sumy region, one person was reported dead following a Russian strike.
Ukraine's Internal Scandals Escalate Amid Accusations of Authoritarianism
Zelenskyy faces growing accusations of authoritarian rule amid a series of major political scandals. As recently as July 11, officers from Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation forcibly searched the home of anti-corruption campaigner Vitaliy Shabunin in Kharkiv, reportedly seizing personal phones and laptops without court warrants.
The Ukrainian government previously rejected the appointment of anti-corruption detective Oleksandr Tsyvinsky, who had been independently selected by a vetting commission, to head the Economic Security Bureau (ESB), an agency responsible for investigating internal economic crimes. Among the reasons cited for his rejection was alleged ties to Russia, despite no prior objections to him from the national Security Service.
According to Ukrainian law, the government has only 10 days in which to appoint an ESB director from a list of candidates approved by the competition commission. The government has no authority to request reconsideration of the vote or reject a nominee selected by the commission, which declined to hold a new vote.
The Ukrainian opposition and Zelenskyy's critics argue that his government favors loyalists in senior political positions while sidelining independent voices. Further, independent Ukrainian media outlets and civil society groups have issued public statements over recent politically-charged scandals, warning that the government's use of martial law to suppress political opponents risks reversing the democratic progress made in Ukraine since 2014.
U.S. and European allies have unexpectedly remained silent in the face of Ukraine's recent internal governmental concerns. Some officials, however, privately worry that with the war still raging in its fourth year, Ukraine's political leadership feels emboldened to push the limits of democracy as the West's oversight apparently has shifted away. If left unchecked, those actions risk damaging Ukraine's nascent democratic institutions. Critics emphasize that the nation's future depends not only on military resilience but on maintaining transparency and the rule of law.
By Danylo Nosov, Alan Sacks