The Verkhovna Rada on Tuesday approved the appointment of the new Minister of Internal Affairs and the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, as the fate of Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, who, according to rumors, is planned to be replaced, was in great question in Kyiv, the head of military intelligence said. However, Volodymyr Zelenskyi seems to have assumed that this will not happen, writes News.ro.

The former head of the National Police, Ihor Klymenko, became the new Minister of Internal Affairs. He served as interim minister after former Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky died last month in a helicopter crash on the outskirts of Kyiv, CNN reports.

Vasyl Malyuk became the new head of the SBU. He has served as the head of the SBU since July last year, when President Volodymyr Zelenskyy removed his childhood friend Ivan Bakanov, the previous head of the SBU, due to the presence of Russian collaborators in the SBU. Bakanov was not personally accused of disciplinary misconduct. Although he praised the successes of the SBU in countering the Russian invasion, he acknowledged that “there were also failures.”

On Tuesday, Zelensky praised Vasyl Malyuk for his work in defense of Ukraine.

“I believe that such appointments correspond to the meaning and tasks of this stage of the war. Vasyl Malyuk is a combat officer who, from the first minutes of a large-scale invasion, stood up for the defense of the Ukrainian state and carries out his work with absolute dedication and professionalism. “Actually heading the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Malyuk proved that the SBU can be what the Ukrainian people want this service to be,” Zelenskyy told parliamentarians. The president added that the SBU conducts “successful and often truly unique special operations,” and some of these operations “changed the face of the war in favor of Ukraine.” .

Does Reznikov remain? Zelensky calls for an end to “rumors and pseudo-information”

On the other hand, the Ukrainian president asked on Tuesday to stop spreading “rumors or any other pseudo-information” that could undermine unity in the war against Russia. His comments to parliament, Reuters noted, were intended to end public speculation about whether or not to fire Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, and to emphasize that only the president can make and announce such decisions.

A few days ago, the leader of the parliamentary group of the presidential party, David Arakhamia, said that Reznikov will be replaced due to a corruption scandal in the ministry headed by him. A day later, Arakhamia said there would be no personnel changes this week, apparently backing down after Zelenskyi remained silent on Reznikov’s future and other politicians publicly defended the minister’s work.

“We are taking personnel and institutional measures at various levels in the field of defense and security that can strengthen Ukraine’s position,” Zelenskyy said. “We receive the necessary information regarding each such approach – personnel or institutional – at the level at which decisions are made,” Zelenskyy said, stressing that such decisions are the sole responsibility of the president.

“I thank everyone who refrains from spreading any rumors or other pseudo-information that can weaken the concentration of our people on their work for the victory of Ukraine,” said the Kyiv leader. “Only by helping our country, by not allowing the enemy to play with the emotions of our people and by doing everything possible so that our fighters have more weapons, we will be able to ensure the success of Ukraine. And we will do it!” – said the president.

Questions about Reznikov’s fate were the first public sign of a serious breakdown in Ukraine’s wartime leadership, Reuters reports. The confusion comes after a campaign over alleged abuses and corruption by senior Ukrainian officials, as Zelensky tries to demonstrate to Western partners that Kyiv can be a reliable steward of billions of dollars in aid.

Before Zelensky’s speech in parliament, Reznikov said on Tuesday that he was “sticking to his line” and gave no indication that he would resign. “Thank you all for your support, as well as constructive criticism. We draw conclusions. We continue reforms. Even during war. We strengthen defense and work for victory,” he wrote on Twitter.

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