Ukraine lawmakers approve Koretskyi as new PM amid protests

Ukraine hits six Russian tankers in Black Sea, Sea of Azov, Kyiv says

This was a roundup of the key developments in Russia's war in Ukraine on Thursday, July 16, 2026. This blog is now closed.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Yevhenii Khmara, the acting head of Ukraine's security service (SBU), as acting defense minister and asked parliament to approve him in the position.

In a post on Telegram, Zelenskyy said the SBU Security Service had distinguished itself in staging long-range strikes on Russia and that this would be an asset in performing the duties of defense minister.

"I have assigned Yevhenii Khmara to perform the duties of minister, continue reforming the defense sector, and ensure Ukraine achieves all the results we have spoken about," Zelenskyy wrote.

The Ukrainian president added that he would ask parliament to approve his selection.

Earlier on Thursday, Ukrainians took to the streets to protest Zelenskyy's ouster of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

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Ukraine and Russia have carried out another exchange of bodies of fallen soldiers.

Ukraine says it has received the bodies of 501 troops, while Russian media report that Moscow recovered the remains of 31 of its soldiers.

Since the start of 2025, Ukraine says it has brought back nearly 21000 bodies, compared with just over 600 returned to Russia.

The exchange comes as the war, now in its fourth year since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, continues with both sides keeping official casualty figures secret.

The United Kingdom will provide €300 million ($345 million) to help Ukraine acquire 16 Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

He made the announcement during his final trip to Kyiv before leaving office.

The funding follows a deal Ukraine signed last month with manufacturer Saab to purchase the aircraft in an agreement worth about $2.5 billion.

When asked whether he was disappointed that he would not see an end to the conflict before leaving No. 10, Starmer told reporters, "This isn't about me, it's about a country, Ukraine, that has faced an aggressor for now in the fifth year."

"Britain has always been, and remains, with Ukraine, and we value this immensely," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham appears set to become the UK's fifth prime minister since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2025.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for "unity" within Ukraine's military leadership as he faced criticism over the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had clashed with the head of the armed forces Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Rare protests broke out in Ukraine after Fedorov's removal, as a long-running dispute between the reform-minded minister and the commander-in-chief spilled into the open.

"A president in wartime should not have to choose in such a situation, honestly," the AFP news agency reported Zelenskyy as saying. "I would very much like unity."

In a scathing attack on the military chief, Fedorov accused Syrskyi of blocking ministry initiatives and refusing to address problems directly.

"Instead of working out how to defeat Russia, he has figured out how to split the country," Fedorov said.

Analysts said Zelenskyy appeared to side with his trusted military commander over the defense minister at a critical stage of the war.

Russia and Ukraine are intensifying attacks on shipping in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, a key corridor for global grain exports, pushing wheat prices higher.

Ukraine says it has struck at least 11 Russian vessels, while Moscow reports hitting a Ukrainian boat and maritime targets near the Odesa region.

Kyiv's drone forces say recent strikes targeted oil tankers, cargo ships, and tugboats, bringing the number of vessels hit this month to nearly 150.

Ukraine is expanding its campaign from the Sea of Azov into the Black Sea, aiming to disrupt Russian military logistics and isolate Crimea.

Russia, meanwhile, is stepping up strikes on Ukrainian ports and infrastructure in Odesa, which are critical to the country's wartime economy.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has made a renewed offer to host talks between Ukraine and Russia during a visit to Kyiv.

"There is simply no explanation for a war in Europe to continue for five years in the 21st century. We need peace more than ever," Fidan said.

Turkey has hosted multiple rounds of talks between Ukraine and Russia , both at the outset of the war and again in 2025.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga said that President Volodymyr Zelensky would be ready to meet Putin in Turkey .

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov separately said, "There are no immediate prospects for resuming the negotiation process."

Outgoing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is making his final trip to Ukraine, vowing that the UK's "cast-iron support for Ukraine will always endure."

Starmer held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine.

The two leaders also laid wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy thanked the "United Kingdom for their unwavering respect for our warriors."

Starmer announced his resignation on June 22 and will be replaced by Andy Burnham .

Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko has resigned, prompting a Cabinet reshuffle led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. What comes next?