Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, revealed on Sunday that the current Defense Minister, Oleksii Reznikov, will be stepping down this week, making way for Rustem Umerov, a prominent Crimean Tatar lawmaker, to assume the role.

Zelenskyy made this significant announcement via his official Telegram account, expressing the need for fresh leadership in light of Reznikov’s enduring stewardship during “more than 550 days of full-scale war.”

During his nightly address, Zelenskyy further emphasized his belief that the Ministry requires novel approaches and alternative modes of engagement, both with the armed forces and with the broader society.

Resnikov’s dismissal follows a controversy surrounding the Ministry of Defense’s procurement of military jackets, the Associated Press reported.

In August, investigative journalists in Ukraine uncovered that the materials for these jackets were acquired at a price three times higher than the standard rate.

Furthermore, instead of winter jackets, the Ministry had ordered summer ones.

According to customs documents from the supplier, the jackets were listed at $29 per unit, while the Ministry of Defense paid a significantly higher $86 per unit.

Reznikov refuted these allegations during a news conference held last week.

U.S. President Joe Biden, when asked about Zelenskyy’s decision to replace his defense chief during an appearance in Delaware on Sunday, acknowledged his awareness of the change but declined to provide public commentary.

Similarly, the U.S. Department of Defense also refrained from offering any official comments on the matter.

Written by staff