Svyrydenko now officially Ukraine's new prime minister

Svyrydenko becomes only the second woman in Ukraine's history to lead the Cabinet of Ministers, and the first in the last 15 years.

Who is Yulia Svyrydenko?

The new prime minister, 39, was born in Chernihiv to a family of civil servants. She graduated with honors from the Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics and completed postgraduate studies. She also took management courses in Germany and Sweden and speaks fluent English and Chinese.

Svyrydenko began her career in the private sector before moving on to lead investment projects in the Chernihiv region and later working at the regional administration, eventually becoming acting governor.

She served as Deputy Minister of Economy, and in 2020, she was appointed Deputy Head of the President's Office in charge of economic policy. In government, she oversaw key projects such as the eRobota jobs program, sanctions policy, business relocation, the recovery fund, and negotiations with the IMF and EU.

Svyrydenko was Ukraine's signatory on a high-profile resource development agreement with the United States.

She also took part in the Trilateral Contact Group as a representative on the socio-economic working subgroup for resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

While at the President's Office, she chaired the Business Support Council and participated in the selection commission for the head of the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB). She also sat on the supervisory board of Naftogaz (national oil and gas company) and headed the board of the national unemployment insurance fund.

On November 4, 2021, she was appointed First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy. A year later, in August, she led the Interagency Working Group for Implementation of State Sanctions Policy.

In 2023, TIME magazine included her in its list of the world's 100 emerging leaders.

Dismissal of Denys Shmyhal

Svyrydenko's appointment followed the dismissal of Denys Shmyhal, who had served as Prime Minister since March 2020. His tenure, lasting over five years, was the longest of any prime minister in independent Ukraine.

There had been recurring discussions in political circles about replacing Shmyhal, but only this year did it materialize. According to RBC-Ukraine's sources, there was no single reason or conflict that directly led to his departure.

Instead, the decision was driven by a mix of factors, including mounting public pressure and reputational scandals within the government, especially around Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov, who was implicated in a construction-related corruption case.

Internal power struggles within the President's Office also played a role. Svyrydenko is known to be close to Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy's top aide.

As for Shmyhal's future, RBC-Ukraine reports he is being considered for the post of Ukraine's ambassador to the United States, replacing Oksana Markarova.

Earlier, Bloomberg reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had discussed changing the ambassador during a July 4 phone call with US President Donald Trump.

For more on government reshuffles and the reasons behind them, read RBC-Ukraine's analysis.