Dmytro Kuleba is the latest. This Wednesday, the head of Ukrainian diplomacy and one of the great voices of his country since the beginning of the Russian invasion presented his resignation to Parliament. A departure that comes ahead of a major reshuffle of the Ukrainian government, after two and a half years of war.
“I ask you to accept my resignation,” wrote the popular 43-year-old minister, who has held the post since 2020. His letter was published on social media by Parliament Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk. The MPs, who must ratify his resignation, will consider his request in the coming days. Barring any surprises, they are expected to accept it, while rumours of such a departure have been circulating in recent weeks.
A minister criticized
According to a high-ranking source within the Ukrainian presidency, interviewed by AFP, several voices have been raised to criticize the functioning of his ministry. Furthermore, a statement by Dmytro Kuleba about the historical differences between kyiv and Warsaw provoked, in August, a wave of negative comments across Poland. A new episode of tensions with this key ally of Ukraine against Russia.
According to Ukrainian media, the minister is expected to be replaced by his first deputy, Andriy Sybiga, a former deputy head of the presidential administration. Less well-known and less publicized than Dmytro Kuleba, Andriy Sybiga, 49, is considered a heavyweight in Ukrainian diplomacy. He notably held the post of ambassador to Turkey from 2016 to 2021.
“More than 50% of government members will be replaced”
In addition to Dmytro Kuleba, six Ukrainian politicians, including several ministers – those of strategic industries, justice and environment – have submitted their resignations since Tuesday. A presidential decree also announced that Rostyslav Shurma, the deputy head of Volodymyr Zelensky’s office, has been dismissed. “As promised, a major government reshuffle can be expected this week. More than 50% of the government members will be replaced,” David Arakhamia, the leader of parliamentarians from the ruling Servant of the People party, said on Telegram.
This is not the first time that Volodymyr Zelensky has renewed his government. The Ukrainian head of state has carried out several reshuffles since the start of the war, including dismissing his defense minister in September 2023 after corruption scandals and replacing the army chief of staff after setbacks on the battlefield.
Deadly bombing campaigns
He hopes to build confidence in his team at a time when the country is facing relentless Russian bombings. The latest attack took place on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday in Lviv, killing at least seven people – including three children – and injuring more than thirty others. The bombing comes a day after a Russian strike that killed at least 51 people and injured 271 in Poltava, in central Ukraine.
Russia’s bombing campaign against Ukrainian cities has intensified since kyiv launched its offensive in August against Russia’s Kursk region, occupying several hundred square kilometers there, as Moscow’s forces push to conquer the rest of Ukraine’s Donbass.
Denouncing the “Russian terrorist strikes”, Volodymyr Zelensky once again called on the West to provide him with more military means. On Monday, Joe Biden assured that the United States “will continue” to support the Ukrainians, “in particular by providing them with the air defense systems and the capabilities they need to protect their country”.