INTERNATIONAL – A very strategic political turning point. After a little over two and a half years of war, Volodymyr Zelensky began this week the most important reshuffle since the beginning of the conflict. The Ukrainian president announced on Tuesday, September 3, that several changes would be made to strengthen the government. This announcement led to a wave of resignations of ministers, most of whom have been in power since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
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“Autumn will be extremely important for Ukraine, and our institutions must be prepared to achieve the results we need,” and declared by Volodymyr Zelensky. “We need to strengthen some areas of government, and personnel decisions have been made,” he later added in a speech Tuesday evening.
On the same day, the leader of the ruling party’s parliamentarians, Davyd Arakhamia, said: “As promised, a major government reshuffle can be expected this week. More than 50% of the staff in the cabinet of ministers will be replaced. Tomorrow we will have a day of dismissals, and the day after, a day of appointments.”
Strengthening the country against the Russian attacker
The reshuffle comes as Volodymyr Zelensky seeks to bolster confidence in his government and as Russia has stepped up its bombing campaigns against Ukrainian cities. On Wednesday morning, a major missile attack targeted the western city of Lviv, killing at least seven people and injuring 30. The day before, a strike on the city of Poltava killed at least 51 people and injured 271.
The intensification of Russian strikes is intended to be a direct response to kyiv, which launched an offensive in August in the Russian region of Kursk, occupying several hundred square kilometers there. At the same time, Moscow’s forces are pushing to conquer the rest of the Ukrainian Donbass, on the eastern front.
Strategic defense ministers resign
Among the ministers holding key positions who have resigned is Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, one of his country’s leading voices since the start of the Russian invasion.
According to Ukrainian media, this post could be taken over by Andriy Sybiga, currently Dmytro Kuleba’s first deputy. The latter has become a familiar face in the West and elsewhere in the world since the beginning of the war, traveling tirelessly to convince chancelleries to deliver the military means that kyiv needs to resist the Russian army.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk also said on her social networks on Tuesday: “After almost three years in government, I presented my resignation today.” This also applies to the Minister of Strategic Industries, Oleksandr Kamyshin, and at least two other ministers. New ministers are expected to be appointed during the day on Thursday.
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