The Ukrainian government on Tuesday confirmed the dismissal of deputy defence minister Dmytro Klimenkov following accusations of insufficient arms purchases.
Criticism has been mounting in Ukraine over the inadequate equipment of the military fighting against Russia.
In a post foreshadowing his decision to sack Klimenkov last week, Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov wrote: “The sole criterion the Ministry of Defense places before the Defense Procurement Agency is to ensure that the frontlines are fully and promptly equipped with all necessary weapons.
“Regrettably, over the past six months, instead of the timely supply of ammunition to our army, we have witnessed political games, leaks of contracts, and leaks of information,” he said.
Umerov also announced he would dismiss the head of the defence procurement agency, Maryna Bezrukova. However, the decision lies with the agency’s supervisory board, and she is refusing to leave.
The ambassadors of the G7 countries in Kiev called for an end to the crippling dispute over procurement.
“Consistency with good governance principles and NATO recommendations is important to maintain the trust of the public and international partners,” they wrote in a post on X.
Ukraine has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion with massive Western support for nearly three years.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced plans to further modernize the country’s armed forces, discussing the formation of army corps during his daily briefing with the general staff.
Kiev intends to accelerate the development of combat brigades to bolster its defence capabilities.
“The modernization of the army system has no alternatives,” Zelensky said in his evening video address.
In recent months, Ukraine has faced mounting pressure on the defensive front. Last year, Russian forces reportedly occupied 3,600 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory. Reports have also suggested a rise in desertion within the Ukrainian armed forces.
Zelensky also addressed the future of Ukraine’s humanitarian programmes, many of which previously relied on funding from the United States.
Following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump on January 20, nearly all international humanitarian programmes were paused for 90 days.
In response, Zelensky instructed his government to compile a list of essential programmes to determine which can be independently financed and which might require external support.
“We will determine which ones are critical and need immediate solutions. We can provide part of this funding through our state finances, and we will discuss some of them with Europeans and Americans,” Zelensky said.
Earlier on Tuesday, a Russian combat drone hit a factory in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv and set it on fire, authorities said.
Damage was also reported from other parts of the country following the large-scale night-time attack, in which Russia deployed 100 unmanned drones, according to information from the Ukrainian Air Force.
“An enemy drone of the Shahed type hit the property of a civilian company,” Bohdan Gladkych, head of civil defence in Kharkiv, told the TV station Suspilne. According to initial reports, it was a wood processing factory and there were no casualties.
Two people were killed by Russian artillery fire in the Donetsk region, authorities said. Four people were injured by drones in the Ukrainian port city of Odessa on the Black Sea.
Several residential buildings and cars were damaged, according to Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov.
Near Kiev, a hall with a collection of vintage cars burned down and in the city of Uman, south of Kiev, while infrastructure was also damaged.
The air force announced that 65 of the 100 Russian drones had been shot down. A further 28 drones turned out to be dummies without explosives.