Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who has lead the ministry since before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has confirmed that he is leaving his post.
President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Reznikov’s dismissal on Sunday, saying it was time for „new approaches” in the defence ministry. Rustem Umerov, who runs Ukraine’s State Property Fund, has been nominated as Reznikov’s successor.
The 57-year-old has become a well-known figure since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. He played a key role in lobbying for additional military equipmen, but his dismissal has been anticipated for some time, says the BBC.
According to local media, the former defence minister said that if Mr Zelensky offered the opportunity for him to work on another project he would probably agree.
Ukrainian defence advisor Yuriy Sak told the BBC that Mr Reznikov spearheaded the transformation of the ministry, laying the groundwork for future NATO membership.
„His legacy is that he has convinced ministers of defence around the world that the impossible is possible,” he said in reference to Reznikov’s successful lobbying of foreign governments for arms.
But experts have observed that the cabinet reshuffle is unlikely to lead to any major change in Ukraine’s battlefield strategy, with Gen Valery Zaluzhny – the commander of Ukraine’s armed forces – overseeing the campaign.
Mr Reznikov’s dismissal comes amid a wider anti-corruption drive in Mr Zelensky’s administration – which has been seen as essential to Ukraine’s ambitions to join Western institutions like the EU.
While Reznikov is not personally accused of corruption, there have been a number of scandals at the ministry of defence involving the procurement of goods and equipment for the army at inflated prices.Earlier this year Reznikov’s deputy, Vyacheslav Shapovalov, resigned in the wake of the scandal. It was widely reported at the time that Mr Reznikov barely held on to his own post.
The defence ministry has also been rocked by several recent arrests at regional recruitment offices, where officers have been accused of taking bribes to allow men to avoid Ukraine’s military draft.
On Friday, the US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with senior Ukrainian anti-corruption officials and urged them to continue prosecuting anti-graft cases „no matter where they lead”.
Umerov, who was nominated by the president, represented Ukraine in peace talks at the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
The ex-MP allegedly suffered symptoms of suspected poisoning during peace negotiations in March 2022 alongside Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich – who was also part of the negotiating party. In a statement posted to Facebook he later denied the reports, urging people not to trust „unverified information”.
Speaking to the BBC at the time, he said it took courage to find solutions but he was determined „to find [a] political and diplomatic resolution to this brutal invasion”.
A member of the Crimean Tatar community, he has become a key member of Mr Zelensky’s international outreach efforts, focussing on fostering ties in the Islamic world.
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