At least six Ukrainian officials, including cabinet members, have resigned ahead of a major government reshuffle.
The resignation leaves several senior government positions vacant, including the minister of strategic industries in charge of arms production.
The changes come as the parliamentary leader of the ruling Servant of the People party said half of the cabinet would be changed in a major government reshuffle this week.
The shift comes as Ukraine continues to deal with daily Russian bombing of its cities and struggles to halt Moscow’s gains in the east while pouring resources into its offensive in Russia’s Kursk region.
Those who submitted their resignations on Tuesday included Strategic Industries Minister Alexander Kamyshin, Justice Minister Denys Maliuska, Environmental Protection Minister Ruslan Strilets, deputy prime ministers Olha Stefanishyna and Iryna Vereshchuk, and head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine Vitaliy Koval.
One of the president’s most senior aides, Rostyslav Shurma, was also fired by presidential decree.
Writing on Telegram, David Arakhamia, parliamentary leader of the ruling Servant of the People party, said: “As promised, a major government reshuffle could take place this week. More than 50% of the Cabinet will be changed.
“Tomorrow we will have a day off and the day after tomorrow will be appointment day,” he added.
Speaking in a video address in the evening, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said state institutions “need to be shaped so that Ukraine achieves all the results we need” ahead of his visit to the United States next month, where he is expected to present a “victory plan” to President Joe Biden.
“To do this, we have to strengthen some areas of government and changes in the composition of the government have been prepared. The (presidential) office will also have changes,” he said.
Opposition MP Iryna Gerashchenko criticized the government reshuffle, declaring that it was “a government without ministers. A parliament without an absolute majority. An intellectual and personnel crisis that the authorities turned a blind eye to”.
She called for the formation of a unity government and an end to the hold on power of President Zelensky’s political group.
On the same day the changes were announced, A Russian attack on the central city of Poltava has killed 51 people and injured 271 more..
President Zelensky promised that Russia would pay for the attack and repeatedly called on Western powers to provide more air defense systems “that can protect us from Russian terrorism”.
President Zelensky has reshuffled his government several times since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Last May, he fired his defense minister. Oleksi Reznikov after a series of corruption scandals, and the dismissal of Kyiv’s top commander Valerii Zaluzhnyi earlier this year.
At least five government portfolios, including those on infrastructure and agriculture, remain vacant since ministers resigned or were sacked earlier this year.
Zelensky’s first presidential term is scheduled to end in May 2024, but he remains in office under martial law.
