Zelensky Announces Government Reshuffle Amid Escalating Russian Attacks
Sep 4, 2024
Ukraine's President Zelensky reshuffles his government for a stronger military push as Russian missile strikes cause damage in cities like Lviv and Poltava.
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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is making big changes to his government. He wants to strengthen Ukraine’s defense and improve diplomacy as the country faces more attacks from Russia.
On Wednesday morning, Russian missiles and drones hit the western city of Lviv and the capital, Kyiv. In Lviv, two people died, and buildings caught on fire. The Ukrainian military reported these attacks, which brought fear and damage to the city.
Rescuers at the scene of a residential building damaged by a Russian strike in Lviv. [Roman Baluk/Reuters]
Poland Reacts to Russian Activity
Poland, Ukraine's neighbor, also took action. For the third time in just over a week, Poland sent out its aircraft because of Russian long-range planes flying nearby. This shows how the war is affecting not just Ukraine, but also nearby countries.
The day before, on Tuesday, the city of Poltava was hit by one of the deadliest attacks since the war started. Russian missiles struck a military training school and a nearby hospital. These attacks killed at least 51 people and hurt more than 200 others.
Buildings in Poltava damaged by a Russian missile attack on Tuesday. Photo: Collected.
The scene was devastating, with dust and debris covering the bodies of those who died. Soldiers at the Military Institute of Communications were among the victims.
In response to these terrible events, President Zelensky decided to make big changes in his government. On Tuesday, several ministers resigned, knowing they would soon be replaced. A presidential aide was also removed as part of this shake-up.
Iryna Vereshchuk, a deputy prime minister and minister for reintegration, was one of the people who resigned. She announced her decision online, thanking President Zelensky for trusting her and expressing gratitude to the prime minister and other government members. She had been in the government for almost three years and felt it was time to "reboot."
[Iryna Vereshchuk. Photo courtesy of the Ministry for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories. Photo: Collected]
In his speech that evening, Zelensky explained that these changes are necessary to make the government stronger. He said the upcoming autumn will be very important for Ukraine, and the government needs to be in the best shape to achieve the results the country needs.
Zelensky also mentioned that some areas in the government need more strength, and decisions have already been made to address this.
More Changes to Come
David Arakhamia, the leader of the ruling Servant of the People party’s parliamentary faction, said that a big government reset is expected this week. He mentioned that more than half of the cabinet ministers’ staff will be changed. Wednesday will be a day of dismissals, and Thursday will be a day of new appointments.
One of the key resignations was Oleksandr Kamyshin, the minister for weapons production. He stepped down, expecting to take on a new role in defense.
Other ministers, including Olha Stefanishyna, another deputy prime minister, also resigned. President Zelensky also dismissed Rostyslav Shurma, one of his deputy chiefs of staff who was responsible for economic affairs.
[Rostyslav Shurma, Deputy Head of Ukraine's Presidential Office. (Presidential Office)]
While these changes were happening in Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin made news by visiting Mongolia. This visit was surprising because there is an international warrant for his arrest.
Putin was welcomed in Mongolia with a red carpet and held talks with its president, Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh. The two leaders discussed how well their countries are working together. Ukraine criticized Mongolia for hosting Putin and called for consequences.
U.S. Support for Ukraine
On the international front, the United States is close to agreeing to give Ukraine long-range JASSM cruise missiles. These missiles could help Ukraine’s military a lot by allowing them to strike further into Russian-held areas. However, it might take a few months before Ukraine receives these missiles.
These JASSM missiles are stealthy, meaning they can avoid radar detection and could make it difficult for Russia to defend against them. But for these missiles to be most effective, the U.S. may need to allow Ukraine to use them on targets inside Russia. Without this permission, the impact of the JASSM missiles could be limited.
[German and Ukrainian soldiers with U.S.-supplied Patriot missiles in Mecklenburg, Germany, on June 11, 2024. The U.S. might also provide Ukraine with Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs), Reuters reported. Jens Büttner/Getty Images]
As Ukraine prepares for the possibility of using these long-range missiles, Russia is also making plans. Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said that Russia is reviewing its nuclear weapons policy in response to the threats posed by Western countries.
Concerns about nuclear safety are also growing. Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN nuclear energy agency, talked about the different situations at the Zaporizhzhia and Kursk nuclear power plants. Zaporizhzhia, which is in Ukraine, was taken over by Russian forces in 2022.
Grossi described the situation there as "very fragile," with power lines frequently getting damaged, putting the plant at risk of a blackout. A blackout could lead to a disaster because it would stop the cooling system that keeps the plant safe.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry has accused Russia of trying to blame Ukraine for nuclear safety risks. The ministry said Russia is spreading false information to distract from its own actions at Zaporizhzhia.
Grossi has agreed to expand inspections to include the electricity substations that supply power to Ukraine’s nuclear plants. This will add a new layer of oversight to ensure safety.
