Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov will probably soon be fired by President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, according to sources in the government referring to “Ukrainian Pravda”.

His potential replacement is the head of the FSMU Rustem Umerov, according to the sources cited by the publication. It is expected that the Ukrainian parliament will consider the resignation of the current head of the Ministry of Defense next week.

First Deputy Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavlyuk will perform the duties of the minister.

Information about the possible dismissal of Reznikov appeared against the background of a scandal with state procurement in the Ministry of Defense, Kyiv Independent notes.

In early August, a Mirror of the Week investigation revealed that the ministry had signed a $33 million contract with a Turkish company in September 2022 to purchase “winter” clothing for the military, which was actually summer.

Earlier this month, a high-ranking official in Kyiv told the New Voice of Ukraine magazine that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi will seek a replacement for the defense minister, and Reznikov is the favorite to be Kyiv’s ambassador to London.

Zelensky fired Ukraine’s ambassador to London, Vadym Prystayk, after he criticized some of the Ukrainian president’s comments to the British government.

In February, the Ukrainian media reported that Reznikov was planned to be replaced after a corruption scandal in the Ministry of Defense regarding the purchase of food for the Armed Forces at an inflated price.