Major political shake-up starts in Ukraine; arms chief, ministers quit

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signalled last week that he would reshuffle his cabinet at a critical time in the war.

A major shake-up of the government is under way in Ukraine after at least six ministers resigned and a presidential aide was fired.

Among those who quit late on Tuesday was Minister for Strategic Industries Oleksandr Kamyshin who was in charge of weapons production. He said he expected to take another role in defence.

Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna as well as the justice, environment and reintegration ministers also resigned, as did the head of Ukraine’s State Property Fund, Vitaliy Koval.

About a third of the positions in the cabinet are now vacant.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was elected in 2019, signalled last week he planned a major reshuffle.

In his regular evening address, he reiterated the need for change.

“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,” he said.

“For this, we must strengthen some areas of the government and changes in its makeup have been prepared. There will also be changes in the (president’s) office.”

A decree on the president’s website showed he had also fired Rostyslav Shurma, a deputy chief of staff who handles the economy.

The shake-up comes at a critical point in the war against Russian forces advancing on the eastern front. Zelenskyy is due to travel to the United States, a key ally, this month where he is expected to outline his “victory plan” to President Joe Biden.

David Arakhamia, a senior lawmaker for the ruling party, said more than half the ministers in government were likely to change.

“Tomorrow a day of sackings awaits us and a day of appointments the day after,” he said.

Kamyshin, who was appointed in March 2023 and considered a rising star in the government, led Ukraine’s effort to ramp up production of weaponry from attack drones to long-range missiles.

“I will continue working in the defence sector but in a different role,” the 40-year-old Kamyshin wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

Serious challenges

Zelenskyy has ordered several reshuffles since Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Last September, he sacked his defence minister amid a series of corruption scandals and more recently replaced the military’s top commander after setbacks on the battlefield.

The latest shake-up comes as Russia claims gains in the east and bombards Ukraine with almost daily drone and missile attacks despite Ukraine’s advance into the Russian border region of Kursk.

Air defence units fought off a Russian drone attack on the capital Kyiv in the early hours of Wednesday.

At least 51 people were killed and 271 injured on Tuesday after Russia struck a military institute and nearby hospital in the central town of Poltava with two ballistic missiles. Two people – a mother and her son – were also killed when a Russian missile hit the hotel where they were staying in the southern Zaporizhia region.

At least five portfolios have been vacant since ministers were fired or resigned earlier this year, including the important agriculture and infrastructure portfolios.

Opposition lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko said: “It’s a government without ministers … an intellectual and personnel crisis that the authorities are closing their eyes to”.

She called for a government of national unity that would end the tight grip on the reins of power held by Zelenskyy’s political team.

Zelenskyy’s elected term ended in May, but he has remained in his post because Ukraine is under martial law.