Ukrainian defence minister could be removed from ministry with interior minister taking over – UP sources

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is considering removing Mykhailo Fedorov from the post of defence minister, and the role could instead be offered to Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, sources in the government team have told Ukrainska Pravda.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda article Zelenskyy reshuffles government: Svyrydenko's resignation, Koretskyi in Cabinet, intrigue around Fedorov (English translation coming soon)

Details: UP sources said during conversations on 11 and 12 July that Zelenskyy asked Fedorov whether he would be willing to head the government, but Fedorov declined.

Fedorov's response is explained by the fact that he only joined the ministry a few months ago and has just begun implementing his own vision for reforming the ministry.

This is why, according to the sources, the conversation on 12 July between Zelenskyy and Fedorov was more of a working meeting than an actual interview for the post of prime minister.

Following the conversation, Fedorov reportedly assured everyone that all is well and that he is continuing his work.

"However, several Ukrainska Pravda sources in the government team are convinced this is not entirely true – or perhaps not true at all. One possibility is that Zelenskyy will offer Fedorov a return to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, or another largely symbolic post. That may explain why, in parallel, the president has asked Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko to be ready to move to the Defence Ministry. Klymenko reports directly to the president and is closely aligned with him, while the Interior Ministry remains heavily influenced by Oleh Tatarov, a deputy head of the President's Office," the article reports.

If Klymenko is appointed defence minister, according to UP sources, the Interior Ministry could be headed by the current chief of the National Police, Ivan Vyhivskyi.

Background:

• On 12 July, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there is a need to reshuffle the Cabinet of Ministers (Ukrainian government) and announced the resignation of Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko.
• No final decision has yet been made on Ukraine's next prime minister, although four candidates are under consideration: Serhii Koretskyi, Denys Shmyhal, Mykhailo Fedorov and Ihor Terekhov.

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