Ukraine to dismiss Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov due to scandal

(Patria) - Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is expected to be dismissed soon, writes Ukrainska Pravda (UP) citing government sources.

His duties will likely be taken over by the head of the State Property Fund, Rustem Umerov.

Pravda writes that the parliament is expected to consider the resignation of the current head of the Ministry of Defense next week.

Namely, the Verkhovna Rada parliament appoints and dismisses ministers at their request. Until then, the acting minister will be the first deputy minister of defense, Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk.

It is rumored that the parliament will consider appointing Reznikov as the Ambassador of Ukraine to Great Britain.

UP quotes sources from Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office who say that Reznikov will be dismissed after the scandal.

According to an investigation published earlier this month, the Ministry signed a contract with a Turkish company in September 2022 to purchase winter clothing for the army worth $33 million, which later turned out to be summer clothing.

The investigation found evidence of unauthorized price changes, with some jackets worth around $29 listed in some documents at a price of up to $86.