A reshuffle is in the air in Ukraine. Rumors are circulating in the local press about the temporary removal of Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, who may be replaced by Kyrylo Budanov, the current head of military intelligence. “I haven’t had any conversations about my resignation from this post,” Reznikov told Ukrainska Pravda in an interview that will be published soon. A Kyiv Independent source underlined that Reznikov could get another government job, as justice minister, as “nobody in the presidential cabinet has any doubts” that he should remain in the executive. Defense sources, cited by Guardian journalist Dan Sabbagh, deny, however, the removal.
Reznikov himself spoke at a press conference in Kiev, without addressing the issue of resignation: “The West’s hesitation to send more fighters to Ukraine will cost lives. I’m sure we’ll win this war, I’m sure we’ll liberate all the occupied territories, but failing to deliver the western jets will cost more lives. Ukraine will not use long-range weapons promised by the West to attack Russian territory, but only against units occupying Ukrainian regions. We always tell our partners that we will not use weapons supplied by foreign allies to fire on Russian territory. We only fire at Russian units in Ukrainian territory they have temporarily occupied.” It remains to be seen what will happen in the government led by Volodymyr Zelensky in the coming days.
Source: IL Tempo
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
