Ukraine arms chief, four ministers resign in government shake-up

By Olena Harmash and Tom Balmforth

KYIV (Reuters) - The Ukrainian minister in charge of weapons production resigned on Tuesday in anticipation of another defence role and four other ministers stood down in a major government shake-up at a critical juncture in the war with Russia.

The resignations of Strategic Industries Minister Oleksandr Kamyshin, Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna and the justice, environment and reintegration ministers leaves over a third of the cabinet vacant after sackings earlier this year.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and his political allies could move to fill the positions to create order before he travels this month to the United States, where he hopes to present a "victory plan" to U.S. President Joe Biden, a key ally.

"Autumn will be extremely important for Ukraine. And our state institutions should be configured so that Ukraine achieves all the results that we need - for all of us," Zelenskiy said in his evening address.

"For this, we must strengthen some areas of the government and changes in its make-up have been prepared. There will also be changes in the (president's) office."

Zelenskiy has also dismissed Rostyslav Shurma, one of his deputy chiefs of staff whose portfolio is the economy, according to a decree published on the presidential website.

David Arakhamia, a senior lawmaker for Zelenskiy's party, said there would be a "major government reset" that would see more than half of the ministers change.

"Tomorrow a day of sackings awaits us, and a day of appointments the day after," he said.

Stefanishyna, whose portfolio has centred around Kyiv's bid to join the European Union and NATO military alliance, could be named as head of a bigger ministry that combines her old role and that of the justice ministry, the Suspilne public broadcaster cited a source in Zelenskiy's party as saying.

Meanwhile, Kamyshin has spearheaded Ukraine's effort to ramp up defence production of everything from attack drones to long-range missiles to battle Russia, a much better-armed and larger foe.

"I will continue working in the defence sector but in a different role," Kamyshin, who is 40 and considered a rising star in government, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

He was appointed in March 2023 after carving out an image as an effective manager of the national railways, a vital logistics artery for both civilians and the military in the first year of the Kremlin's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Since he took over defence production, Ukraine has produced thousands of long-range drones to attack Russia. Last month, Zelenskiy said Kyiv had for the first time used a new "drone-missile" and also test run a new ballistic missile.

CRITICAL JUNCTURE IN WAR

On the battlefield, Ukraine is pressing a risky cross-border incursion into Russia's Kursk region as Moscow's troops inch forward with increasing speed in the east of Ukraine.

Russia has stepped up its long-range missile strikes. At least 50 people were killed and 271 wounded on Tuesday in the deadliest attack of the year when Russia hit a military institute in the central town of Poltava with two ballistic missiles.

Lawmakers and political analysts have expected major changes in the government since the summer began. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has suggested the possibility of streamlining the government and folding several portfolios into one ministry.

At least five portfolios have been vacant since ministers were fired or resigned earlier this year, including the important agriculture and infrastructure portfolios.

Opposition lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko said: "It's a government without ministers ... an intellectual and personnel crisis that the authorities are closing their eyes to".

She called for a government of national unity that would end the tight grip on the reins of power held by Zelenskiy's political team.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash; Writing by Tom Balmforth; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Rosalba O'Brien)