Several Ukrainian ministers resign as ruling party signals major reshuffle

At least six Ukrainian officials including cabinet ministers submitted their resignation on Tuesday and a presidential aide was dismissed, as the ruling party signalled a major government reshuffle was underway.

The reset comes as Kyiv faces growing challenges including daily Russian bombardment and as President Volodymyr Zelensky seeks to boost confidence in the government two and a half years into Moscow’s invasion.

“As promised, a major government reset can be expected this week. More than 50 percent of the Cabinet of Ministers’ staff will be changed,” David Arakhamia, the head of the ruling Servant of the People party’s parliamentary faction wrote on Telegram.

“Tomorrow we will have a day of dismissals, and the day after that a day of appointments,” he said.

Several Ukrainian ministers had already submitted their resignation by Tuesday evening, including the Minister for Strategic Industries, Minister for Justice and Minister of Environmental Protection.

The head of Ukraine’s State Property Fund, Vitaliy Koval, also resigned, as did Deputy Prime Ministers Iryna Vereshchuk and Olga Stefanishyna.

The deputy head of Zelensky’s office and one of the president’s top aides, Rostyslav Shurma, was meanwhile dismissed, according to a presidential decree.

Zelensky has ordered several reshuffles since the war began, sacking his defence minister last September after a series of corruption scandals and more recently replacing his top commander amid setbacks on the battlefield.

The Ukrainian leader’s first presidential term, which began in 2019, expired in May but he has remained in post under martial law. (BSS/AFP)