CNN –
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has fired his defense minister, citing the need for “new approaches” as the war with Russia enters its 19th month.
“This week Parliament will be asked to make a personnel decision… I have decided to replace the Defense Minister of Ukraine. Oleksii Reznikov has endured more than 550 days of all-out war,” Zelensky said.
The president nominated Rustem Umerov, the former people’s deputy of Ukraine, as the new defense minister.
“The Verkhovna Rada (legislature) of Ukraine knows this person well, and Mr. Umerov needs no further introduction,” Zelensky said. “I expect Parliament to support this candidate.”
According to his biography on the Defense Ministry website, Reznikov has been defense minister since November 2021, having previously held other government positions, such as deputy prime minister.
His removal comes in the wake of several corruption scandals in the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
Zelensky fired a number of high-ranking officials earlier this year over a scandal related to war procurement; the country’s deputy defense minister resigned after being accused of corruption; Then in August Zelensky fired all those responsible for regional military recruiting centers, citing numerous ongoing criminal cases.
Although Reznikov was not involved in any of these scandals, they were still found to have caused him harm by association.
And on Saturday, one of Ukraine’s most powerful oligarchs and a key supporter of Zelensky, Ihor Kolomoisky, was arrested as part of a fraud investigation.
Zelensky said fighting corruption in the Ukrainian government was crucial to Kiev’s chances of gaining long-awaited membership in NATO and the European Union.
According to a 2021 report by Transparency International, Ukraine is the second most corrupt country in Europe after Russia. Globally, it ranked 122nd out of 180 countries.
Zelensky’s promise to rid the government of corruption was one of the reasons for his rapid rise to power in 2019. Zelensky, a former comedian who played the president of Ukraine on a hit TV show, had none at the time of his election political experience – but managed to capitalize on the country’s deep-rooted disappointment and disgust with rampant corruption.
Ukraine officially became a candidate for EU membership last year, but Brussels has made it clear that Kiev must step up its fight against corruption if it wants to become a full member.