The head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, will become the new defense minister of Ukraine, which expects a major offensive by Russian troops, whose pressure is currently increasing in the East.
The appointment of Mr. Budanov, 37, is “perfectly logical in time of war”, because “war dictates the movement of personnel”, explained MP David Arakhamia, who announced the replacement in the Defense portfolio on Sunday evening. of Oleksiï Reznikov, 56 years old.
The latter had just promised a few hours earlier during a press conference “audits” within his ministry following a corruption scandal linked to the supply of the army, in the midst of the Russian invasion.
He had recognized on this occasion that the anti-corruption services of his ministry had “failed in their task” and that they had to be “completely restructured”.
His departure comes at a time when “the very difficult situation in the Donetsk region, where there are fierce battles,” President Volodymyr Zelensky said in the evening.
“Many reports already indicate that the occupiers want to do something symbolic in February. To try to avenge their defeats last year. We are seeing this increased pressure in different areas of the frontline,” he added.
Planes !
“Today, when it comes to obtaining weapons, […] we have received everything and now we must obtain the planes” to “protect our airspace”, the outgoing Ukrainian Minister of Defense had hammered shortly before in kyiv.
It could be American F-16s or “other” aircraft, continued Oleksiï Reznikov, before launching: “we will also have the planes”.
He had nevertheless deplored the “reluctance” to deliver such aircraft to his country, which will “cost more lives” to the Ukrainians.
The minister had at the same time promised that the long-range weapons to be soon supplied to Ukraine would not be used to target Russian territory, but only occupied areas, some Western capitals worrying about a risk of escalation. of the conflict that began almost a year ago.
Fighting in Bakhmout
Asked about a possible withdrawal from Bakhmout, whose Russian soldiers, supported by mercenaries from the Wagner group, have been trying since the summer to seize, Mr. Reznikov assured Sunday that it was still “a fortress, a symbol”.
The Russians have made small territorial gains in the region in recent weeks in the hope of breaking the Ukrainian lock on this largely destroyed city and where the two belligerents are suffering heavy losses.
In particular, they took the town of Soledar and more recently the village of Blagodatné.
“Fierce fighting is taking place in the northern districts [de Bakhmout] for every street, every house, every stairwell, ”said Sunday the boss of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, Evguéni Prigojine, whose men are on the front line on the spot.
“The Ukrainian armed forces are not retreating. They fight to the last man,” he acknowledged.
In the northeast, five people were also injured Sunday in two Russian strikes on the center of Kharkiv, the second Ukrainian city, according to the head of the regional military administration, Oleg Sinegoubov.
western weapons
The outgoing Ukrainian Defense Minister had indicated that he expected a major Russian assault in February.
“All Western weapons will not have time to arrive before that”, but “we have the resources and the reserves” to resist, he assured.
According to him, the Russians have moved their command centers and their ammunition warehouses in such a way as to make it more difficult for Ukrainian strikes to break their supply lines.
To counter this, the Americans have pledged to provide rockets that could almost double the range of Ukrainian fire.
And a series of Western countries, including the United States but also France and, after some hesitation, Germany, will send heavy tanks to kyiv, which also hopes to go on the offensive.
On Saturday, Canada shipped the first German-made Leopard 2 to Ukraine.
Mr. Reznikov for his part announced that training with Leopards would begin on Monday.
With Ania Tsoukanova in kyiv
The occupier is mobilizing its forces more and more to break our defense Volodymyr Zelensky”