Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed Rustem
Umyerov as the new defense minister, replacing Oleksii Reznikov. Oleksii
Reznikov, who had been serving as Ukraine's defense minister, was appointed
just three months before Russia's invasion of Ukraine. During his tenure, he
played a crucial role in negotiating and equipping Ukraine's forces with modern
weaponry from its allies.
Reznikov, appointed three months before Moscow's invasion, has led Kyiv's
negotiations to equip its forces with modern weaponry from allies.
His dismissal comes in the midst of Kyiv's counteroffensive and during
Ukraine's general push against corruption as per EU requests.
"Oleksiy Reznikov has been through more than 550 days of full-scale
war," Zelensky said in his daily
evening address. "I believe that the
ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the
military and society at large."
He nominated Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar who has been head of the State
Property Fund since last year, to replace Reznikov.
"Now Rustem Umerov should be the head of the (defence) ministry,"
Zelensky said in his evening address. "I expect parliament to support this
candidate."
Reznikov, a 57-year-old lawyer with little military experience, has become
one of the best-known faces of Kyiv's war effort.
AFP WORLD