Zelenskyy's office considers new position for former Defence Minister Reznikov
Oleksii Reznikov may be appointed Ukraine's ambassador to the UK after resigning as Defence Minister amid scandals over public procurement for the army, but no official announcement has been made.
Source: Ukrainska Pravda in the article Zelenskyy's Fourth Defence Minister. Why the President is replacing Reznikov with Umierov
Details: On 5 September, the Verkhovna Rada accepted the resignation of Oleksii Reznikov from the Cabinet of Ministers with a round of applause from the presidential faction, but what will happen to Reznikov next remains uncertain.
After the dismissal of Ambassador to the UK Vadym Prystaiko, there was talk in government offices that Reznikov would be appointed there. When asked by Ukrainska Pravda whether Reznikov was really going to be sent to London, a top member of the presidential team said on the evening of 5 September: "This is the plan."
However, according to sources in diplomatic circles, the Ukrainian Embassy in the UK has not yet received an official agrément for Reznikov's appointment.
Ukrainska Pravda stated that the Ministry of Defence began to think seriously about replacing Reznikov in mid-July after 11 partner countries formed an "aircraft coalition" and set conditions for training Ukrainian pilots on Western F-16 fighters. At the same time, complaints about the speed and stability of supplies of ammunition and weapons were growing among the military.
Ukrainska Pravda described situations with disruptions in the supply of weapons paid for in advance, and the failure of Ukrainian and Western companies to fulfil contracts with the Ministry of Defence worth tens of billions of hryvnias. As a result, the military does not receive enough ammunition during the counteroffensive, and the Ministry of Defence often lacks money to sign new contracts.
The situation with Defence Ministry contracts has improved now, but in the first months of the invasion, the ministry’s procurers signed so many dubious deals that it is now costing the army billions of wasted hryvnias and slowing down many important projects.
The fact that Reznikov failed to build a working system of control over arms procurement and logistics was the fundamental reason for his resignation, which was discussed in February.
At the time, Reznikov was ready to take up the post of Minister of Justice. However, the head of the Servant of the People faction, Davyd Arakhamiia, defended the current Minister of Justice, Denys Maliuska, and convinced the president that Reznikov should be transferred to the Ministry of Strategic Industries.
"Davyd came to Zelenskyy and said: 'Wait, do we want to punish Oleksii or promote him?' The president said: 'Punish him.' Arakhamia [replied]: 'But we are promoting him to the Ministry of Justice! Let's give him Riabikin's ministry and let him start working there!'," witnesses to the conversation recall the president's dialogue with Arakhamiia.
Reznikov then publicly stated that if he had been offered the Ministry of Strategic Industries, he would have refused. So he remained in office.
At the end of August, the government came up with Rustem Umierov's candidacy as Defence Minister, and Reznikov resigned.
Background:
- On 10 August, Ukrainska Pravda stated, with reference to government sources, that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was looking for a replacement for Oleksii Reznikov as Defence Minister. At least two candidates were being considered.
- On 19 August, Oleksii Reznikov said that the ministerial post was a "temporary thing" for him and that he could resign himself.
- On 28 August, Reznikov said that he had discussed the possibility of moving to another position with the president, but that the decision was up to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- On 3 September, Zelenskyy said he would replace the Defence Minister because the Ministry of Defence "needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society as a whole".
- On 5 September, the Verkhovna Rada accepted Oleksii Reznikov’s resignation as Defence Minister, and on 6 September, it appointed Rustem Umierov, the former head of the State Property Fund, to replace him.
Ukrainska Pravda is the place where you will find the most up-to-date information about everything related to the war in Ukraine. Follow us on Twitter, support us, or become our patron!
