On Wednesday, the Ukrainian Parliament approved Denys Shmyhaľ for the post of Minister of Energy and First Deputy Prime Minister. The move comes after his nomination failed on the first ballot. Shmyhaľ, a former prime minister and experienced politician, now takes over the department, which faces serious challenges, including corruption scandals.
- Denys Šmyhaľ became Minister of Energy and Deputy Prime Minister.
- He replaced the previous minister after a corruption scandal in the department.
- He did not get enough votes in the first vote, but succeeded in the second.
- Mykhaylo Fedorovov became the new Minister of Defense.
- Šmyhaľ’s main task is to restore confidence in the energy sector.
Denys Shmyhaľ is a former Prime Minister of Ukraine, who held this position from 2020 to July 2025. During his tenure, he gained a reputation as an experienced leader. After leaving the post of Prime Minister, he was appointed Minister of Defense, where he began working on reforms. He has now become Minister of Energy and First Deputy Prime Minister, making him the second most important person in the Cabinet.
According to the sources of the Ukrainian agency RBC-Ukraine, Shmyhaľ initially rejected the offer because he had just started working at the Ministry of Defense and did not want to move to a “problematic” department right away. He changed his mind when he was offered the combined position of Minister of Energy and First Deputy Prime Minister, which increased his political influence.
Challenges in the energy sector
The Ministry of Energy faced serious problems, including the Midas corruption scandal. This scandal revealed suspicions of widespread embezzlement in the Ukrainian energy sector. The previous minister, Svitlana Hrynčuková, was dismissed in November precisely because of these suspicions.
In the first vote, which took place on Tuesday, Šmyhaľ did not get enough votes – only 210 MPs supported him. However, in the second vote, which took place on Wednesday, 248 of the 450 members of the Ukrainian parliament approved his nomination.
New leadership and plans for reforms
After Shmyhaľ’s transfer to the Ministry of Energy, Mykhajlo Fedorovov was appointed to the post of Minister of Defense. He previously served as First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Transformation.
In his speech before the vote, Fedorov announced that he plans to conduct an audit of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The goal is to find ways to improve the financial and social support of Ukrainian soldiers.
Consequences of the corruption scandal
The ministry was left without a leader after the parliament dismissed Svitlana Hrynčuková due to her involvement in the Midas corruption scandal. This scandal caused major upheavals in the Ukrainian energy sector and required new leadership.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed Shmyhal for the post of Minister of Energy on January 3. His support was crucial in pushing through this nomination, especially after the first failed vote in parliament.
Combining these two functions gives Šmyhaľ greater political influence and allows him to coordinate energy policy with other government priorities. This makes him the second most important person in the Ukrainian government after the Prime Minister.
Denys Shmyhaľ now faces the difficult task of restoring confidence in the Ukrainian energy sector and solving problems related to corruption. However, his experience and political influence give him good conditions to handle this challenge.
