Ukraine’s parliament on Thursday approved the appointment of Naftogaz boss Sergiy Koretsky as the new prime minister, part of a government reshuffle ordered by President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The parliament announced on social media that 289 out of 318 members voted in favor of Koretsky’s appointment.

Ukrainian leader Zelensky has not fully explained the reasons for the sweeping shake-up to Ukraine’s top political team, which triggered outcry on Thursday over the ousting of the popular defense minister amid the war with Russia.

Large protests erupted in several Ukrainian cities on Thursday morning against the removal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

In Kyiv, more than a thousand people gathered on a central square, singing the Ukrainian national anthem, waving Ukrainian and EU flags and chanting “shame” and “bring Fedorov back”.

Fedorov announced late Wednesday he was stepping down, saying it was a “great honor to serve the Ukrainian people”, amid a sweeping government reshuffle ordered by President Zelensky. Local media reported protests in several other cities, including Lviv, Odesa and Dnipro.

Zelensky announced a major reshuffle of the government on Sunday, proposing the replacement of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko and the heads of some law enforcement agencies.

European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen congratulated Koretsky on getting the job, saying she looked forward to “continuing our excellent cooperation” with Kyiv.

“We are confident that you will place Ukraine’s European integration at the heart of the country’s transformation effort. You can count on our full support as you advance your ambitious reform agenda,” the European Commission president posted on social media. (AFP)