China News Service, February 7th (Xinhua) Comprehensive foreign media reports, Ukraine is ushering in the biggest political reshuffle since the escalation of the situation between Russia and Ukraine.
The chairman of the parliamentary group of the Ukrainian People's Servant Party said on the 5th local time that he planned to replace the current defense minister with the head of the Ukrainian military intelligence agency.
However, a day after the announcement, a parliamentary official said there would be no changes to the defense minister post this week.
Reuters reported that the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has recently been involved in a corruption scandal involving military food contracts.
A report released in January alleging that the Ministry of Defense purchased military rations at high prices for personal gain sparked a public outcry.
A deputy minister of defense has been removed, and two other senior officials have also left.
The corruption scandal has reportedly prompted Zelenskiy to undergo a major reshuffle, although the Ministry of Defense has denied the allegations.
On the 5th local time, the chairman of the Ukrainian People’s Servant Party’s parliamentary group, David Alahamia, said that Girillo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense’s intelligence service, will replace Alexei Reznikov as the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Minister, who will be appointed Minister of Strategic Industries.
Allahamia said the timing and the current situation required Ukraine to strengthen and restructure.
He added: "At this stage, law enforcement should be led by professional soldiers, not politicians."
Reznikov said on the same day that any decision would depend on Zelensky's arrangements, but he had not heard of any news about job transfers.
He added that he would reject a job at the Ministry of Strategic Industries because of his lack of expertise in the field.
However, according to Bloomberg News, on the second day after the news was announced, a Ukrainian parliamentary official said on the 6th local time that no decision on personnel changes will be made this week.
Mariana Bezura, vice-chairman of the Ukrainian Defense and Intelligence Council, said in a statement on social media that the reshuffle decision involving the replacement of the Minister of Defense may be delayed due to the "risk of the entire system" because Ukraine will hold a meeting this week on the Important meeting of arms deliveries and military preparations.
It is reported that personnel arrangements will ultimately be decided by Zelensky, but his office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Bloomberg report noted that Ukraine has been committed to fighting corruption under pressure from allies that provide military aid to Ukraine and from the public at home calling for fairness.
Last week, Ukrainian authorities conducted nationwide raids, searching for tycoons, senior tax officials and former military procurement chiefs who had been close to Zelensky, among others.
According to Reuters, after Zelensky promised that Ukraine would meet Western standards of clean governance, a series of officials resigned or were fired, and the reshuffle of the defense minister was the most high-profile government personnel change.