Ukraine’s defense minister Oleksiy Reznikov is set to be replaced by Kyiv’s military intelligence chief, legislators in President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s party said on Sunday.
The planned reshuffle was to move Reznikov to another senior government position, according to some lawmakers, but the lawyer-turned-politician said he would reject the shift. Major General Kyrylo Budanov will become the defense minister, the MPs said.
The changes will be tabled in Ukraine’s parliament in the next few days, the report suggested.
If confirmed, it would be the biggest shake-up in the Zelenskyy administration since Russian president Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24 last year.
Other senior officials currently in roles will be confirmed in office.
David Arahamia, head of parliament from Zelenskyy’s Servant of the People Party, said: “War dictates personnel policy. Time and circumstances call for strengthening and regrouping.
“Oleksiy Reznikov was transferred in the government to the position of minister of strategic industry to strengthen military-industrial cooperation, which is quite logical, given his expertise,” said Arahamia. He shared Reznikov’s experience over the past year in securing weapons from Ukraine’s western backers.
Ukraine’s military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov © AFP via Getty Images
Budanov, a 37-year-old former special forces operative, has been the head of the military intelligence unit since 2020.
But after Arakhamia’s announcement on Sunday, Reznikov said he was not interested in taking a new government position, adding: “This is news to me.”
“I did not have a conversation about the Ministry of Strategic Industry with the president of Ukraine,” Reznikov said in an interview with Fakty ICTV television and internet news service.
“If I suddenly receive an offer from the president of Ukraine . . . I will reject it, because I do not have the expertise that would allow me to become a minister . . . of strategic industry,” he added.
Zelenskyy has not commented on the planned reshuffle or the new appointment. Some of these motions require the president to formally submit a nomination for approval. His party has a shaky majority in parliament and regularly secures votes from allied parties.
Ukraine’s defense ministry secures weaponry and supplies for the army, while military operations are organized independently and carried out by the general staff, headed by Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief.
Arahamia said that the legislators will promote the head of the interior minister, Ihor Klymenko. A career police officer, Klymenko took over as minister last month after his predecessor, Denys Monastyrsky, was killed in a helicopter crash outside Kyiv.
Vasyl Malyuk, who was named acting head of Ukraine’s SBU state security service last July, will be appointed chief, Arahamia said.
“Law enforcement agents at this stage should be led not by politicians, but by law enforcement cadres,” Arakhamia said.
“The enemy is getting ready to advance. We are getting ready to defend ourselves and take back what is ours,” he said referring to Russian-occupied territories and recent reports that Russian offensive forces are preparing new attacks.
During a press conference on Sunday, Reznikov defended his record as a minister, stated the measures taken to prevent corruption, and said that the decision depends on the president.
“I am in the team. . . I will do everything necessary for our victory,” said Reznikov.
Reznikov became defense minister just over a year ago. He has led Kyiv’s successful efforts to secure heavy weaponry from the west that has proved key to repelling a faltering Russian invasion.
But he has faced mounting criticism in recent days from anti-corruption activists following scandals in his ministry in which some of his subordinates have been arrested or prosecuted by law enforcement.