Russia, Ukraine Trade Strikes Killing 8 as Zelenskyy Replaces Defense Minister After EU Drone Deal
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 16
Russia, Ukraine Trade Strikes Killing 8 as Zelenskyy Replaces Defense Minister After EU Drone Deal
3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 16
Summary
Eight people were killed in the latest cross-border attacks: five in Ukraine — including two in Kyiv and three in Zaporizhzhia — and three in Russia’s Bryansk and Yaroslavl regions.
The violence followed a new Ukraine-EU drone production pact announced in Kyiv, aimed at pairing Ukraine’s battlefield know-how with Europe’s industrial capacity to rapidly scale output.
Ukraine’s military also said it hit six Russian tankers and two tugboats in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, accusing Moscow of using them to move oil, petroleum products and military fuel.
Zelenskyy moved to replace Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov — credited with advancing drone warfare in his six months in office — with security service chief Yevhenii Khmara, drawing protests in Kyiv.
The exchange adds to a broader escalation that has raised civilian casualties on both sides, even as Ukraine’s strikes on Russian oil and logistics have improved its battlefield position since late 2022.
Why was Ukraine's successful drone-warfare minister fired at the height of his success?
With its economy failing and army decimated, is Russia's war machine finally breaking?
Political Upheaval and Drone Warfare: How Fedorov’s Ouster and the EU-Ukraine Defense Pact Are Shaping the Future of the War
Overview
In mid-July 2026, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy unexpectedly dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, shaking Ukraine’s political landscape at a crucial moment in the war with Russia. This move raised concerns among European officials and exposed deeper issues in Zelenskyy’s leadership. Fedorov, who served for six months, was credited with accelerating military innovation and transforming Ukraine’s defense capabilities. His dismissal highlighted tensions between reformist and traditionalist factions within Ukraine’s leadership, creating uncertainty about the country’s future direction and its ongoing efforts to modernize and strengthen its military with European support.