Zelenskyy on defence sector reshuffle: Some problems cannot be solved from one side

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said in an interview with Sky News that recent personnel changes in Ukraine's defence sector were driven by the need to resolve coordination problems between the Ministry of Defence and the military command as well as to ensure a unified approach to addressing key wartime challenges.

Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Sky News; Interfax-Ukraine

Details: Responding to a question about the dismissal of former Ukrainian defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov and commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi as well as the possible return of some officials to their previous positions, Zelenskyy said the personnel decisions were linked to the need to prepare Ukraine for a difficult winter and ensure effective cooperation between the key institutions responsible for the country's defence.

Quote: "First of all, we had to prepare for the very difficult winter. Nobody even can't imagine what the winter will be. Of course, it can be tough or less. It will depend on partners and us."

Details: Zelenskyy said he needed a prime minister focused on energy issues and fully aware of the challenges Ukraine would face.

Quote: "I needed very much to have a prime minister who is deeply in energy, who knows what we will face. And we did it."

Details: Zelenskyy said there had been problems in cooperation and communication between the armed forces commander and the leadership of the Ministry of Defence that had persisted for months.

"There are some things which we have to manage and you can manage it only if the ministry works with the army. You can't manage it one side or another," he said.

He added that one of the key challenges is mobilisation, including the need for a new approach to the process.

Quote: "We need a new attitude to mobilisation, new steps, maybe new, maybe not very quickly, maybe not something radical, of course not, but to find a way for this I need unanimity between these two institutions."

Details: Zelenskyy also said Ukraine faces a shortage of anti-ballistic air defence capabilities and stressed the need for constant coordination between the relevant institutions.

Quote: "I don't have time to listen to one side, then to listen to another side, because two sides are not ready to meet each day. They have to meet each hour until our sky is closed."

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