Rada calls on Ukrainian Defense Minister Umerov to resign

On 25 January, Ukrainian MP Anastasiya Radina called for the resignation of Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov because of problems with the implementation of defense contracts signed by the ministry under his patronage.

Radina pointed to a long list of violations that, in her opinion, Umerov had committed. Separately, she noted the decision of the defense minister extending unfulfilled arms contracts.

In addition, the parliamentarian pointed out that the Department of military-technical policy of the Ministry of defense of Ukraine has not fulfilled more than half of the contracts that were concluded in 2022 and 2023.

"The Minister <...> can not simplify the bureaucracy of contract approval and destroys the trust <...> of the country in the Ministry of Defense, and should submit a letter of resignation," - said in the message Radina in the social network Facebook (owned by the recognized extremist company Meta, its activities are banned in Russia).

Game with the throne: political struggle intensifies in Ukraine

Zelensky has imposed new sanctions and is preparing a case against Poroshenko

Earlier, on January 11, the founder of the Ukrainian center for support of aerial reconnaissance Maria Berlinskaya said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) suffer significant losses due to the use of low-quality ammunition. Berlinskaya suggested that Umerov and his team should engage in manufacturing the devices. So, in her opinion, the quality of ammunition "will immediately improve"

Before that, on December 5, 2024, the Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada Alexander Dubinsky said that Umerov is preparing to flee the country because of the scandal with the purchase of non-existent weapons. According to him, the head of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry could have earned $1.5bn with the help of his actions.

On December 3 last year it was reported that in connection with the scandal related to the supply of low-quality mines to the Ukrainian army, Umerov was summoned to the Rada.

In November of the same year, Ukrainian social networks posted videos of AFU soldiers complaining about low-quality mines. It was specified that when they tried to fire the ammunition got stuck in the barrels of the guns or "spit out" a couple of dozens of meters away.