Ukraine undergoes cabinet restructuring; Foreign Minister Kuleba tenders his resignation
We need a fresh breath, said Selenskyj in response to a query regarding the cause for the government shake-up. "These actions are connected to our nation strengthening its presence in various sectors." Ukraine has been bravely fighting off the Russian invasion for approximately 2.5 years. He expressed his "deep gratitude" towards the ministers and the whole cabinet, added Selenskyj.
On Tuesday evening, David Arachamia, the leader of the Ukrainian ruling party Servant of the People, announced that a minimum of six government officials had handed in their resignations. Among them were the ministers for strategic industries, justice, and environmental protection. Arachamia declared Wednesday as the "day of departures."
On Wednesday morning, Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefantschuk announced that Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba had submitted his resignation. The parliament was set to vote on it shortly, explained Stefantschuk.
The reasons behind Kuleba's resignation were initially not disclosed. However, speculation about his imminent exit from the government had been circulating for weeks. A high-ranking official from the Ukrainian presidential administration recently criticized Kuleba's ministry's functioning to the news agency AFP.
Kuleba has served as the Ukrainian Foreign Minister since 2020. The 43-year-old is highly popular in his homeland and recognized internationally. Ever since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, he has been actively soliciting support for his nation on foreign trips and advocating for sanctions against Moscow.
According to Ukrainian media, Kuleba is going to be replaced by his current deputy Andrij Sybiga, a former deputy head of the presidential administration. The new cabinet appointments are set to be made public from Thursday, as per Arachamia. As reported by AFP, Selenskyj and Kuleba are planning to "discuss and approve" his future position.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) expressed her regret over Kuleba's resignation. "Few individuals," she penned on the online service X, "have I worked so closely with." "You prioritized your nation's people over yourself," she added.
Meanwhile, the Russian air assaults on Ukraine persisted on Wednesday. A day after a particularly brutal attack with around 50 deaths in the heart of Ukraine, the authorities reported attacks in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.
According to the Ukrainian prosecutor's office, seven people lost their lives during the overnight shelling, including children. The regional military administration reported that 53 people were injured in Lviv.
More than 50 buildings were damaged in the historic city center, including two medical facilities and two schools, reported the Ministry of Culture. According to regional governor Maksym Kosyzkyj, "at least seven architecturally significant buildings" in the UNESCO World Heritage old town were affected.
An AFP journalist reported seeing burnt-out vehicles and debris throughout the center of Lviv. The 27-year-old resident Jelysaweta informed AFP that she had heard "horrifying and inhuman" screams.
According to the Ukrainian army, the attack on Lviv was part of a massive wave of attacks featuring 13 missiles and 29 drones. The air force said it intercepted seven missiles and 22 drones.
President Zelensky denounced the "Russian terrorist attacks on Ukrainian cities." He repeated his appeal to Western allies to swiftly provide his country with new air defense systems and enable the use of already delivered long-range weapons for strikes on Russian territory.
Since Ukraine's advance in the Russian region of Kursk in early August, Moscow has intensified its assaults on Ukraine. On Tuesday, one of the deadliest attacks since the war's onset hit the central Ukrainian city of Poltava, killing at least 53 people and wounding 271, according to Ukrainian reports. Russian missiles struck a military training center and a hospital.
The Russian government declared it was a "precision strike" on a Ukrainian army training center. "The targets were hit. All designated targets were hit," the Defense Ministry in Moscow claimed.
In light of the government shake-up, the role of The President of the Council in this transition remains unclear.
The announcement of Minister Kuleba's resignation was made by Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefantschuk on Wednesday morning.
