Zelenskyy believes his defence minister nominee could sort out mobilisation issues, but is still weighing up decision
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he has not yet submitted the nomination of former interior minister Ihor Klymenko as defence minister to parliament, but he believes Klymenko is capable of dealing with the problem of "shameful busification practices" during mobilisation. [Busification is the controversial practice of forced mobilisation in which recruitment officers detain men in public, often bundling them onto minibuses to transport them to enlistment offices – ed.]
Source: Zelenskyy at a press conference on 16 July
Quote: "As for Klymenko, he is being considered as one of the candidates. Yes, he is being considered, but I haven't yet submitted the relevant documents to parliament."
Details: Zelenskyy noted that Klymenko, like Fedorov, has some very strong qualities. He also said the Armed Forces must work together with the Defence Ministry.
Zelenskyy said that the issues with military enlistment offices are not only a matter for the military.
Quote: "Everyone needs to address them – both the armed forces and the ministry. And that's why I believe that eliminating the shameful practices of busification could be one of Klymenko's strengths. But again, this is a question I am still considering."
Previously: On 16 July, protests in support of acting Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov are taking place near the President's Office in Kyiv and in a number of Ukrainian cities. The protesters are asking the authorities to reinstate Fedorov in the new government and not to hand the post of defence minister over to Ihor Klymenko.
Background:
- On 14 July, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) approved Yuliia Svyrydenko's resignation as prime minister, a decision which entails the resignation of the entire government.
- Ukrainska Pravda sources said the authorities planned to form the new government on 15 July. The Verkhovna Rada was expected to vote on the new Cabinet of Ministers on 16 July.
- Ukrainska Pravda sources within the Servant of the People parliamentary faction said Zelenskyy would not put Fedorov forward for the post of defence minister. He is expected to nominate acting Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko.
- Sources in the faction also say Fedorov is still on the president's team, "but what he will do next will become clearer next week".
- On 15 July, Fedorov summed up his tenure as defence minister, outlining what he had not managed to accomplish and stressing that he would continue his mission to "defeat the enemy through asymmetry, the speed of innovation and the power of organisation".
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