Ukraine arms chief, four ministers resign in government shake-up

Ukraine arms chief, four ministers resign in government shake-up Show Caption Hide Caption Russian strike kills at least 41 near Ukraine military institute The attack happened in the central town of Poltava. KYIV, Ukraine – The Ukrainian minister in charge of weapons production resigned on Tuesday in anticipation of another defense role and four other ministers stood down in a major government shake-up at a critical juncture in the war with Russia. The resignations of Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin, Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna and the justice, environment and reintegration ministers leave over a third of the cabinet vacant after sackings earlier this year. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his political allies could move to fill the positions to create order before he travels this month to the United States, where he hopes to present a “victory plan” to President Joe Biden, a key ally. More: Russian missile strike in Ukraine kills 41, wounds 180 near military institute “Autumn will be extremely important for Ukraine. And our state institutions should be configured so that Ukraine achieves all the results that we need – for all of us,” Zelenskyy said in his evening address. Zelenskyy has also dismissed Rostyslav Shurma, one of his deputy chiefs of staff whose portfolio is the economy, according to a decree published on the presidential website. David Arakhamia, a senior lawmaker for Zelenskyy’s party, said there would be a “major government reset” that would see more than half of the ministers change. Stefanishyna, whose portfolio has centered around Kyiv’s bid to join the European Union and NATO military alliance, could be named as head of a bigger ministry that combines her old role and that of the justice ministry, the Suspilne public broadcaster cited a source in Zelenskyy’s party as saying. Meanwhile, Kamyshin has spearheaded Ukraine’s effort to ramp up defense production of everything from attack drones to long-range missiles to battle Russia, a much better-armed and larger foe. He was appointed in March 2023 after carving out an image as an effective manager of the national railways, a vital logistics artery for both civilians and the military in the first year of the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Since he took over defense production, Ukraine has produced thousands of long-range drones to attack Russia. Last month, Zelenskyy said Kyiv had for the first time used a new “drone-missile” and also test run a new ballistic missile. Critical juncture in war On the battlefield, Ukraine is pressing a risky cross-border incursion into Russia’s Kursk region as Moscow’s troops inch forward with increasing speed in the east of Ukraine. At least five portfolios have been vacant since ministers were fired or resigned earlier this year, including the important agriculture and infrastructure portfolios. More: Ukraine’s daring strike on Kursk boosts Kyiv’s morale, may put Putin in a box Opposition lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko said: “It’s a government without ministers … an intellectual and personnel crisis that the authorities are closing their eyes to”. – This Summarize was created by Neural News AI (V1). Source: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2024/09/04/ukraine-cabinet-chief/75068056007/