Ukraine's Defence Minister to be removed from post soon

Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov will be removed from his post soon and may be replaced by Rustem Umierov, the current Head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda sources in the Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada; Yaroslav Zhelezniak, Ukrainian MP, on Telegram

Details: The Verkhovna Rada is expected to consider the resignation of the current defence minister next week.

The position of Minister of Defence is a presidential quota. Accordingly, the Verkhovna Rada (the Ukrainian parliament) appoints and dismisses the minister at his request. Until then, the acting First Deputy Minister of Defence will be Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk.

Zhelezniak said authorities are considering appointing Reznikov to the post of Ukraine's ambassador to the UK.

The most likely candidate to replace Reznikov is the current head of the State Property Fund, Rustem Umierov. This was confirmed by UP's sources in the Cabinet of Ministers and the Verkhovna Rada. It is noteworthy that Zelenskyy met with him this week to discuss the fund's performance. 

Umerov himself was unable to deny or confirm the information that he would be appointed to another post.

UP sources report that the question of who will replace Reznikov is still open in the president's team; the decision may be made next week.

"To make it clear, there is no question whether it is necessary to remove Reznikov – it is necessary. But the question is, who should replace him? And this turned out to be a real problem. The ministry is very complicated; there are very few suitable potential candidates," a high-ranking source close to the President's Office told UP.

Background:

• On 10 August, Ukrainska Pravda, citing its sources, reported that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was looking for a replacement for Oleksii Reznikov as Ukraine’s Minister of Defence. At least two candidates are being considered.
• On 19 August, Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, commenting on rumours that the President was looking for a substitute for him at the position of the Ministry of Defence, said that this position was "temporary" for him, and he could resign at his own discretion.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in response to a question about the chances that Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov might be removed from post, said on 23 August that he would be able to comment on personnel decisions after signing relevant decrees.
• Oleksii Reznikov said on 28 August that he and the president discussed the possibility of appointing Reznikov to another position, but the decision must be made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy himself.

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