Zelenskyy lashes out at ‘rumours’ that he’s about to fire his wartime defence minister

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is trying to dispel widespread reports that he will replace his defense minister in the wake of a corruption scandal that has rocked the country’s public.

In a speech to parliament on Tuesday, Zelenskyy called for an end to “rumors or other false information” about whether Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov will be fired.

The statement is intended to douse the first major political firestorm the government has dealt with since Russia launched a full-scale invasion nearly a year ago.

The president said that Reznikov’s alleged fate only undermined national unity at a critical time in the war.

Zelenskyy stated that only the president can dismiss ministers.

“We are taking personnel and institutional measures at various levels in the defense and security sector that can strengthen Ukraine’s position,” Zelenskyy wrote in a Telegram post, citing his comments to lawmakers.

However, the silence until now has only fueled speculation.

David Arakhamia, a senior member of parliament who is also a key supporter of the president, was quoted on Sunday as saying that Reznikov would be removed from defense and given another portfolio in response to a corruption scandal in the defense ministry involving food supplies to soldiers.

The following day, Arakhamia appeared to partially backtrack on his comments when he said there would be no personnel changes “this week.”

Other Ukrainian lawmakers have publicly defended Reznikov’s record.

Conventional wisdom

Oleksandr Musiienko, head of the Center for Military and Legal Studies in Kyiv, said the minister had not faced corruption charges. What they have done over the past week or so is an exercise in political responsibility, he said.

Zelenskyy decided to show that Kyiv can be a safe steward for billions of dollars in allied aid – and also a safe place for western investment as the government struggles to maintain the economy.

Musiienko said the government was caught between a rock and a hard place, politically. Conventional wisdom, he said, asserts that there is “corruption in [Reznikov’s] ministry, so in his ministry he must resign.”

But Musiienko said there was no clear consensus in parliament on what should happen to Reznikov.

Late last month, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced that it had busted a large-scale embezzlement scheme intended to siphon off public funds allocated to buy food for the military.

In a statement sent on Telegram on February 3, the SBU said that the fraud has cost the defense ministry more than 119.5 million Hryvnias – about $3.24 million US, or about $4.3 million Cdn.

The admission followed allegations in local media that the ministry overpaid suppliers for the food. The company at the center of the scandal insists that there was a technical error and that no extra money actually changed hands. The defense ministry dismissed the media reports as baseless allegations.

As the scandal grew, Zelenskyy said nothing. But in the face of Tuesday’s headlines alleging “chaos” at the defense ministry, the president chose to speak.

“It only helps our country, do not allow the enemy to play with the emotions of our people and do everything possible for our soldiers to have more weapons, we can ensure the success of Ukraine,” he told the Ukrainian parliament. “And we will!”

The deliberations over Reznikov’s future are the first public cracks in the solid front of Ukraine’s warring leaders.

Musiienko said the timing was bad, ahead of next week’s meeting of allied countries supplying Ukraine with military equipment. Ukraine is expected to go to the meeting to strongly object to the western warplanes.

“He has good relations with our allies,” Musiienko said of Reznikov. “That’s important.”

The scandal also comes at an awkward time for the war effort itself. Russia has signaled it is ready to attack as it marks the anniversary of the invasion.

Musiienko said that the investigation into the food contract continues and the discovery of possible irregularities is a sign that Ukraine’s “anti-corruption structure” has been used.