Ukraine’s defense minister has been dismissed from his post, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced late Sunday, in the biggest shake-up of the ministry since the Russian invasion.
Oleksiy Reznikov led the ministry since before Russia invaded the country in February last year.
“This week, the parliament will be offered to make a personnel decision. I want to outline it now. I have decided to replace the minister of defense of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said during his evening speech.
Zelenskyy said “Reznikov has gone through more than 550 days of full-scale war. I believe that the ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society at large.”
He therefore announced that Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s State Property Fund, would replace Reznikov pending parliamentary approval.
During his time in office, Reznikov helped secure billions of dollars in Western military aid for Ukrainian forces and built strong rapport with allied defense ministers, but was dogged by accusations of his ministry’s involvement in procurement corruption, which he has denied.
Ukrainian media has tipped him as possible new ambassador to London.
Reznikov’s replacement Umerov has reportedly excelled in his anti-corruption efforts, which Kyiv has cracked down on, and in negotiations during the war.
By Nadeem Faisal Baiga
Source EFE
