Umerov is not planned to be fired if there is a government reshuffle – sources
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov is not planned to be dismissed during the government reshuffle that may occur in the future. This was reported to LIGA.net by sources within the defense ministry commenting on the likely changes in the Cabinet of Ministers.
According to them, Umerov was not offered a dismissal and was not offered the position of ambassador to the United States.
An interlocutor in the ruling Servant of the People faction reported that the following are most likely to retain their positions in the future government: Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov, Head of the Ministry of Energy Herman Halushchenko, Head of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidny, and Head of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Svitlana Hrynchuk.
At the same time, MP from the opposition faction Holos, Yaroslav Zheleznyak, told LIGA.net that there are currently no decisions on "where and whom to put" in the future Cabinet.
- During his time in office, Umerov has faced criticism regarding arms procurement. In particular, analyst Badrak reported in an article for LIGA.net that Ukraine has its own privately developed air defense missile system, but its mass production is hampered by the position of the Ministry of Defence's Defence Procurement Agency (AOZ). In response, the Agency stated that it also purchases air defense systems from Ukrainian manufacturers.
- In the same text, the expert stated that the Ministry of Defense is wasting opportunities to strengthen air defense provided by Western partners, and cited two relevant cases.
- The Anti-Corruption Center also criticizes Umeyrov's team for the procurement. In response, the CEO of AOZ, Zhumadilov, stated that the organization's position may be related to "unfulfilled ambitions".
