The Ukrainian parliament has approved the dismissal of Oleksii Reznikov as defence minister and Rustem Umerov as head of the main privatisation agency. This paves the way for Umerov to replace Reznikov. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced on Sunday that he was sacking Reznikov and proposed Umerov as his replacement. The parliament’s approval of their removal and Umerov’s appointment is necessary for the transition.
On Tuesday, the parliament completed the first stage of the process with separate votes and is expected to support Umerov’s appointment in a vote on Wednesday. Reznikov had already resigned on Monday. This move marks the most significant shakeup in the defense establishment during the 18 months of war with Russia.
Although Reznikov has been actively advocating for Western weapons to combat Russia’s invasion, his departure, following months of corruption allegations against his ministry, is not anticipated to have a substantial impact on military operations. The Defense Ministry, confirming the parliament’s decision to remove Reznikov, praised his work and noted the weapons Ukraine has acquired since the start of Russia’s invasion.
The Defense Ministry stated on the social media platform X, “He held this office for 22 months and made the impossible possible by ensuring large-scale arms supplies for the #UAarmy from the free world.” They also mentioned that the F-16 fighter jets, which Ukraine has not yet received, “will make Ukraine’s victory inevitable.”
Lawmakers who attended the parliamentary session verified the outcome of the vote to remove Umerov from his current position. At 41 years old, Umerov is a Crimean Tatar and former lawmaker who has been a member of a government task force since 2020. This task force focuses on developing a strategy to end the occupation of Crimea, which Russia seized and annexed in 2014.
(Reporting by Anna Pruchnicka, Editing by Timothy Heritage)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
