Ukraine’s Zelensky moves to replace wartime defence minister

KYIV - Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Monday that he had submitted his resignation letter to the chairman of Parliament, in the biggest shake-up of the defence establishment since Russia invaded in February 2022.

In his nightly video address to the nation, President Volodymyr Zelensky said he would dismiss Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov and ask Parliament this week to replace him with Mr Rustem Umerov, head of the country’s main privatisation fund.

Mr Reznikov, in his resignation letter, provided an overview of his 22 months in the post, praising Ukraine’s fierce wartime resistance against Russian forces and his ministry’s lobbying efforts to secure vital military aid from the West.

“Over 50 per cent of the temporarily occupied territories by Russia have already been liberated. Every day, our defenders are moving forward,” he said in the letter posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

“There is an understanding that Ukraine is a shield of Europe in the East.”

Mr Reznikov, defence minister since November 2021, has helped secure billions of dollars of Western military aid to help the war effort, but also been dogged by allegations of corruption surrounding his ministry that he described as smears.

Mr Zelensky said: “I believe the ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society as a whole.” 

He added that he expected Parliament to approve Mr Umerov’s appointment, adding that Mr Umerov “does not need any additional introduction”.

Mr Zelenskiy has to submit Mr Umerov’s candidacy to Parliament for review.

Mr Umerov, a 41-year-old former lawmaker and Crimean Tatar, has led Ukraine’s State Property Fund since September 2022 and played a role in sensitive wartime negotiations on, for instance, the Black Sea grain deal.

He has been praised in Ukraine for his track record at the State Property Fund, which oversees the privatisation of state assets and had been embroiled in corruption scandals before he took charge.

Mr Reznikov’s Defence Ministry, during the war, lobbied the West to overcome taboos on supplying powerful military gear to Ukraine, including German-made main battle tanks and Himars rocket artillery. Kyiv now looks poised to receive US-made F-16 fighter jets soon.

He said he saw building long-term partnerships with key allies and securing “real security guarantees” as one of Kyiv’s key priorities.

Although Mr Reznikov has had numerous interactions with United States Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, a Pentagon spokesman declined comment on the move, saying that it was an internal matter for the Ukrainian government.

Western military aid has played a crucial role in the war, as Ukraine first forced back Russian troops around the capital Kyiv before launching counter-offensives in the north-east and south.

Its troops are now fighting through heavily mined areas and Russian defensive lines to recapture territory in the south-east and east.

An English-speaker, Mr Reznikov is seen as having built up a strong rapport with allied defence ministers and military officials.

One MP has tipped him as Ukraine’s possible new ambassador to London.

His apparent exit appears to bring an end to months of domestic media pressure that began in January when Mr Reznikov’s ministry was accused of buying food at inflated prices.

Though he was not personally involved in the food contract, some Ukrainian commentators said he should take political responsibility for what happened.

In August, a Ukrainian media outlet accused his ministry of corruption during the procurement of winter coats for the army. Mr Reznikov denied any wrongdoing and repeatedly said he was being targeted by a smear campaign.

He said in his resignation letter that defence procurement and purchase processes had been reformed during his tenure, and that he had fulfilled all the tasks which had been set for him when he was appointed 22 months ago. REUTERS