Government in Kyiv: Defense Minister is apparently being replaced

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has recently been criticized for corruption. Now there are reports from President Selenskyj’s environment that he has withdrawn department head Resnikov. An official confirmation is still pending.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has apparently promoted a high-ranking military man to defense minister. Military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov will replace Oleksiy Reznikov at the head of the ministry, said MP and Zelenskyi confidant Davyd Arakhamiya. Resnikov becomes Minister for Strategic Industries.

It is not yet clear when the change will come into effect. “The war dictates a change in personnel policy,” said Arakhamiya, who heads the faction of Zelenskyi’s Servant of the People party. Ministries relevant to security should be headed by people from the security apparatus in times of war.

Ministry in focus due to corruption allegations

While 56-year-old Resnikov is a lawyer, 37-year-old Budanov can look back on a stellar military career. Politician Reznikov took office in November 2021, a few months before the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022.

Selenskyj had recently replaced a number of high-ranking civil servants and justified this with allegations of corruption. Resnikov’s ministry also came into focus. The impetus for the wave of layoffs was, among other things, the allegation made in media reports that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense had bought food for the soldiers at significantly inflated prices. Resnikov had initially rejected the reports. On Sunday he then announced an “internal review” in his ministry.

Zelenskyj: Difficult situation in eastern Ukraine

The alleged move in the defense portfolio comes in anticipation of a spring Russian offensive. Zelenskyj spoke on Sunday of a difficult situation and bitter fighting on the front in the Donetsk region in the east of the country. “But no matter how difficult it may be and no matter how great the pressure there is, we have to endure,” said Zelenskyj in his evening video address. “We have no alternative but to defend and win.” Russia is now trying to make up for the losses it suffered last year.