KYIV – Six Ukrainian deputy defense ministers have been fired Monday following the dismissal two weeks in the past of Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov in a corruption scandal, officers stated, as heavy fighting persevered in the east.
Deputy defense ministers together with Hanna Maliar, Vitalii Deyneha and Denys Sharapov, as neatly as the state secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Kostiantyn Vashchenko, have been fired, in keeping with the Telegram account of Taras Melnychuk, everlasting consultant of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Melnychuk supplied no clarification of the firings, however the executive has been investigating accusations of corruption in the army similar to buying apparatus. Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar lawmaker who took over as defense minister, didn’t instantly factor a commentary.
Reznikov used to be got rid of previous this month after a scandal involving the defense ministry’s procurement of army jackets at thrice their value. Reznikov denied the allegations however resigned.
The reshuffling of the division got here an afternoon after Ukraine’s army stated it captured the village of Klishchiivka from Russian troops after months of fierce battles. Fighting persevered Monday as troops attempted to carry the village south of the Russian-held town of Bakhmut in the jap Donetsk area.
Its recapture adopted the retaking of the within reach village of Andriivka.
“The enemy is trying with all his might to regain lost positions,” Maliar stated in a briefing Monday prior to she used to be fired. “Therefore, our fighters hold back the enemy’s attacks there and are entrenched at the achieved frontiers.”
Retaking Klishchiivka is considered tactically important, allowing Ukrainian forces to further extend their gains around Bakhmut.
Russians attacked residential areas in eight cities and villages in the Donetsk region, including Avdiivka and Kurdiumivka, killing one and wounding four, it said. Five artillery attacks in Kherson killed one person and wounded another. In the nearby town of Beryslav, 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 Mykolaiv and Odesa early Monday morning.
Oleh Kiper, regional governor of Odesa, stated a leisure facility in the the town of Vylkovo used to be broken in the assault however no casualties have been instantly reported. Vylkovo, continuously referred to as the “Ukrainian Venice” on account of its a large number of canals, is positioned in the Danube delta on the border with Romania.