Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced the departure of defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov, calling for new approaches a year and a half into Russia’s invasion.
The announcement came hours after Ukraine fought off an attack by Russian drones in the southern Odesa region Sunday that hit a Danube port on the border with NATO member Romania.
Oleksiy Reznikov has been through more than 550 days of full-scale war, Zelensky said in his daily evening address.
He nominated Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar who has been head of the State Property Fund since last year, to replace Reznikov — subject to approval by Ukraine’s parliament.
News of Reznikov’s removal comes with Kyiv’s counteroffensive underway and Ukraine’s general push against corruption in response to EU requests.
