Ukraine’s Defense Minister Reznikov Officially Resigns

The Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s parliament, has voted to accept Oleksiy Reznikov’s resignation from his position as Minister of Defense. People’s Deputy Yaroslav Zheleznyak officially announced this decision via his Telegram channel following a vote that garnered the support of 327 members of the parliament.

Oleksiy Reznikov had been at the helm of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense for nearly two years, taking office in November 2021. His tenure ended amid a series of scandals the Defense Ministry has recently faced. As Reznikov was leaving the hall, he received a standing ovation.

The announcement of Reznikov’s resignation came after President Volodymyr Zelensky’s declaration on Sept. 3, in which he revealed that Reznikov would step down from his role as Defense Minister.

Zelensky nominated Rustem Umerov, the current head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine, as Reznikov’s successor, saying it’s time for “new approaches.”

In his resignation letter, Reznikov expressed his pride in serving the Ukrainian people and working for the Ukrainian military during what he described as “the most difficult period in the modern history of Ukraine.”

He also highlighted progress on the military front, stating that “50 percent of the territories temporarily occupied by Russia have already been liberated.”

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The news of Reznikov’s resignation follows a series of high-profile dismissals of senior officials, including deputy defense ministers, in Ukraine earlier in 2023, amid corruption scandals that have plagued the government.