Six of Ukraine’s deputy defense ministers were fired this Monday, following the dismissal two weeks ago of a defense minister implicated in a corruption scandal, at a time when heavy fighting is taking place in the east of the country.
Deputy Ministers of Defense, including Anna Malyar, Vitaly Deinega and Denis Sharapov, were fired, as well as Secretary of State of the Ministry of Defense Konstantin Vashchenko, according to the personal Telegram account of the permanent representative of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Taras Melnichuk.
Melnichuk did not explain the reasons for the dismissals, but the government is investigating allegations of corruption in the army related to the acquisition of equipment.
Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar deputy who took the post of defense minister, has not yet commented on the situation.
Alexey Reznikov was fired earlier this month after a scandal involving the Ministry of Defense’s purchase of military uniforms at three times its cost. Reznikov denied the accusations but resigned.
The Defense Ministry reshuffle comes a day after Ukrainian forces said they had captured the village of Kleshchevka from Russian forces after months of heavy fighting that continued into Monday as Kiev forces tried to hold the village south of Kiev. Russian city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.
The conquest followed the recapture of the nearby village of Andreevka.
“The enemy is trying with all his might to regain lost positions. Therefore, our fighters are holding back enemy attacks and gaining a foothold on the conquered lines,” said sources in the Ukrainian armed forces.
The recapture of Klishchevka is considered important from a tactical point of view, as it will allow Ukrainian forces to expand their positions in the Bakhmut area.
In other fighting in the past 24 hours, six civilians were killed and 16 wounded, the presidential office said.
The Russians attacked residential areas in eight cities and villages in the Donetsk region, including Avdeevka and Kurdyumivka, killing one and wounding four, the report said.
As a result of five artillery strikes in Kherson, one person was killed and another was injured. In the nearby town of Berislav, Russians dropped explosives from a drone near the local bus station, injuring four people, the presidential office said.
The Ukrainian Air Force said it intercepted all 17 cruise missiles launched by Russia and 18 of 24 Shaded drones in the southern regions of Nikolaev and Odessa early Monday morning.
Oleg Kiper, governor of the Odessa region, said that a recreation center in the city of Vilkovo was damaged as a result of the attack, but no casualties were reported.
Vilkovo, which is often called the “Ukrainian Venice” due to its numerous canals, is located in the Danube Delta on the border with Romania.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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