Ukraine government reshuffle increases executive power

Significance The shake-up in the cabinet and the Presidential Office was the largest overhaul of the political leadership since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Zelensky initiated a raft of resignations, appointments and re-appointments inside his team, which were then quickly approved by parliament. Impacts The reshuffle did not touch the military leadership, so is unlikely to influence events on the battlefield. The reshuffle will remain unnoticed by the population, thereby neither improving nor worsening Zelensky’s political standing. The consolidation of the Zelensky administration’s powers will likely generate more criticism from the domestic opposition. Russian attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure are likely to generate economic and political pressure over the winter.