The Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov stated in an interview with "Babel" that he did not discuss the transition to the Ministry of Strategic Industries, but he spoke with the president and disclosed the content of this conversation.
"There was no conversation with me about the Ministry of Strategic Industries, this is not my story. And I donʼt want to (and I wonʼt do) what I donʼt know how to do," he noted.
Reznikov does not know why the head of the "Servants of the People" faction Davyd Arakhamia informed the MPs about the appointment of the head of the Ministry of Defense, if it had not yet been agreed upon.
"Itʼs difficult for me to comment, I donʼt have a hostile relationship with David, he and I are also from Aspen. Let me not comment," he added.
The minister says he had a conversation with the president.
"We had a conversation with the president about continuing cooperation with me as the Minister of Defense. But I have to draw conclusions from this situation, that is, it must be personnel decisions, because without updating the team it will be difficult to work. On the recommendation of the president, I am updating the team at the level of deputy ministers. And then it will go to the departments and so on," explained the head of the Ministry of Defense and added that the term of his tenure was not the subject of conversation.
- At the beginning of February, rumors began to appear about the possible dismissal of the Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov. His successor in the Ministry of Defense is called the current head of the MDI Kyrylo Budanov. Babelʼs sources in the "Servant of the People" faction informed that Reznikov may be appointed to the post of minister for strategic industries of Ukraine.
- Reznikov himself said on February 5 that he would resign if the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky decides so — because the appointment of the Minister of Defense is the responsibility of the President.
- On February 15, Reznikov stated that President Volodymyr Zelensky asked him to remain in office. He wonʼt be resigning anytime soon.