Ukraine: Zelenskyj proposes successor to Oleksiy Reznikov

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is dismissing his defense minister and wants to see the young politician Rustem Umerov in office in the middle of the counter-offensive. He will propose the 41-year-old head of the state wealth fund to parliament as the successor to the ousted Olexi Resnikov, Zelenskyi said in his evening video message on Sunday. Resnikov’s departure had been expected for a long time.

The entrepreneur and investor Umerow, who is of Crimean Tatar descent, has been campaigning for years for the liberation of the Black Sea peninsula Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014. As the new defense minister, he would have less influence on the course of the current counter-offensive. Zelenskyy, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and the generals are responsible. Above all, Umerov would have to worry about financing the army and equipping it with weapons and ammunition as well as supplies.

Like many Crimean Tatars, Umerov’s parents were deported from Crimea under Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. According to the Ukrainian media, Umerov was a fellow of a US program for future leaders (FLEX) and is considered an expert in finance. After serving as a member of the Ukrainian parliament from 2019 to 2022, he was appointed head of state asset management a year ago.

Rustem Umerov supports Crimea

The politician is also vice-chair of the Crimea Platform, an annual forum dedicated to the peninsula’s reintegration into Ukraine. Last but not least, he is committed to the exchange of political prisoners and prisoners of war in Crimea, as reported by the Ukrainian media. In August 2021, Zelenskyi presented him with an Order of Merit to the Fatherland.

Reznikov has served as defense minister for 550 days since the start of Russia’s aggressive war, Zelensky said on Sunday. “I believe that the ministry needs new approaches and different formats of cooperation with the soldiers and society as a whole,” said the president. Reznikov has been Minister of Defense since November 2021. Ukraine has been defending itself against the Russian invasion for more than 18 months.

Oleksiy Resnikov’s replacement has been an issue for a long time

Resnikov’s resignation had already been discussed last winter. The politician, who came under criticism after scandals in his office, did not think of resigning voluntarily. Resnikov said in early February that he would only resign if Selenskyj asked him to do so. “No official stays in office forever,” he added.

Among the series of scandals and affairs in the Defense Ministry in the Reznikov era is the resignation of his deputy Vyacheslav Shapovalov. In the winter he had had to resign in connection with the purchase of overpriced groceries for soldiers. According to media reports, money was also embezzled during the construction of barracks. Resnikov always rejected the allegations. The aim was apparently to “undermine trust in the Ministry of Defense at a very important point in time,” he said at the time. Ukraine is considered one of the most corrupt countries in Europe.

The Ukrainian media had reported several times – and increasingly so in the past few days – that the 57-year-old Resnikov was about to be replaced. The minister had recently repeatedly stated that he was ready to go, but that a replacement had to be found for him. He spoke to Selenskyj about another post. The position of ambassador in London is vacant.