Ukrainian media reports that Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov will resign

Ukraine’s Minister of Defense, Oleksii Reznikov, may resign next week, writes Ukrainian Pravda, citing sources in the Office of the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, and law enforcement agencies in Ukraine.

According to the publication’s sources, President Zelensky’s team is now deciding where to transfer the minister, since “no one in the Office of the President of Ukraine doubts that he should remain on the team.” Among other posts, they may be considering Minister of Justice for Reznikov, who is a lawyer by training. Sources of RBC Ukraine, however, say Minister of Justice is not in the cards, and Reznikov may instead by transferred to the Ministry of Strategic Industries.

Sources for both publications say that one possible candidate for Minister of Defense is Kyrylo Budanov, the current Chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence.

Reznikov himself said, “No official sits at a post eternally,” and that he would serve in whatever new capacity Zelensky chooses for him. 

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense was implicated in one of a series of corruption scandals that came to light in Ukraine in late January. When media exposed the corruption, Reznikov accused them of undermining the ministry on the eve of talks with NATO partners.