- A new `kubelet_preemptions` metric is reported from Kubelets to track the number of preemptions occurring over time, and which resource is triggering those preemptions. ([#84120](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/84120), [@smarterclayton](https://github.com/smarterclayton))

- Fixed a scheduler preemption issue where the victim pod was not deleted due to incorrect status patching. This issue occurred when the preemptor and victim pods had different QoS classes in their status, causing the preemption to fail entirely. ([#126644](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/126644), [@Huang-Wei](https://github.com/Huang-Wei))

- A terminating pod on a node that is not caused by preemption no longer prevents `kube-scheduler` from preempting pods on that node
  - Rename `PreemptionByKubeScheduler` to `PreemptionByScheduler` ([#114623](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/114623), [@Huang-Wei](https://github.com/Huang-Wei))

### Bug or Regression

- Fix a scheduler preemption issue where the victim pod was not deleted due to incorrect status patching. This issue occurred when the preemptor and victim pods had different QoS classes in their status, causing the preemption to fail entirely. ([#126695](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/126695), [@Huang-Wei](https://github.com/Huang-Wei)) [SIG Scheduling]

- Migrate  `pkg/kubelet/pluginmanager`  to structured logging ([#99885](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/99885), [@qingwave](https://github.com/qingwave)) [SIG Node]
- Migrate  `pkg/kubelet/preemption/preemption.go` and `pkg/kubelet/logs/container_log_manager.go` to structured logging ([#99848](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/99848), [@qingwave](https://github.com/qingwave)) [SIG Node]

- Fixed a bug that scheduler extenders are not called on preemptions. ([#103019](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/103019), [@ordovicia](https://github.com/ordovicia))

- Fix: return empty VMAS name if using standalone VM ([#103470](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/103470), [@nilo19](https://github.com/nilo19)) [SIG Cloud Provider]
- Fixed a bug that scheduler extenders are not called on preemptions ([#103019](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/103019), [@ordovicia](https://github.com/ordovicia)) [SIG Scheduling]

- The Daemonset controller creates replacements for terminal Pods, which can appear during VM preemptions or when using Pod finalizers ([#118912](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/118912), [@alculquicondor](https://github.com/alculquicondor)) [SIG Apps and Testing]

- Fixed a suboptimal scheduler preemption behavior where potential preemption victims were violating Pod Disruption Budgets. ([#128435](https://github.com/kubernetes/kubernetes/pull/128435), [@NoicFank](https://github.com/NoicFank)) [SIG Scheduling]

## Dependencies

### Added

* **[Pod priority and preemption](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/pod-priority-preemption/) is now enabled by default.** Note that this means that pods from *any* namespace can now request priority classes that compete with and/or cause preemption of critical system pods that are already running. If that is not desired, disable the PodPriority feature by setting `--feature-...