By Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, a prominent figure on the international stage, submitted his resignation Wednesday as part of an anticipated major government reshuffle. The announcement came as Russian strikes killed seven people in the western city of Lviv, underscoring the ongoing threat across Ukraine.
Kuleba, 43, did not provide a reason for his departure. Parliamentary Speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk confirmed on Facebook that lawmakers would discuss the resignation at their next session. Four other Cabinet ministers tendered their resignations late Tuesday, signaling the most significant government reorganization since Russia’s invasion in February 2022.
The reshuffle comes at a critical juncture in the war, with Ukraine approaching its 1,000-day mark in November. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had hinted at imminent changes last week, likely aiming to reinvigorate Ukraine’s resolve amid the grinding conflict and prepare for another challenging winter.
As Foreign Minister since March 2020, Kuleba has been second only to Zelenskyy in representing Ukraine’s interests globally. His high-profile role included a July visit to China, making him the highest-ranking Ukrainian official to visit the country since the Russian invasion.
While Kuleba’s successor remains unannounced, Ukrainian media, citing unnamed sources, suggest Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha may assume the role. The new appointee is expected to accompany Zelenskyy to the upcoming U.N. General Assembly in New York, a crucial opportunity to rally international support.
Davyd Arakhamiia, a leader of Zelenskyy’s party in parliament, stated that more than half of the current Cabinet would undergo changes, with new appointments expected on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the western city of Lviv, typically considered safer due to its proximity to the Polish border, suffered a devastating attack. A nighttime strike, reportedly carried out with a Kinzhal missile and drones, killed seven people and injured 52 others. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the attack targeted defense industry enterprises, but local officials disputed this assertion.
Lviv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi shared heartbreaking details of a family tragedy, where a mother and her three daughters were killed in their home. The father survived but remains in critical condition. Among the victims was 21-year-old Yaryna, a program manager at the European Youth Forum, whose colleagues vowed to neither forget nor forgive the attack.
The strikes extended beyond Lviv, with five people injured in Kryvyi Rih, Zelenskyy’s hometown. In response to these attacks, Kuleba emphasized Ukraine’s urgent need for increased Western support, particularly in air defense systems and long-range strike capabilities.
Zelenskyy reacted by calling on Ukraine’s allies to provide “more range” for Western weapons, indicating a desire to strike deeper into Russian territory.
These attacks followed a devastating strike on Poltava in eastern-central Ukraine the previous day, where two ballistic missiles hit a military academy and nearby hospital, killing 53 people and wounding nearly 300.
As Ukraine grapples with these ongoing attacks and political changes, the country faces significant challenges. The war of attrition with Russia continues, with the Ukrainian army’s recent incursion into Russia’s Kursk region offering a brief morale boost amidst months of difficult news from the eastern front.
The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, suggests that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes Russia can slowly subsume Ukraine through grinding advances and by outlasting Western support for Kyiv.
With the U.S. presidential election looming in November, potentially affecting crucial military support, Ukraine’s leadership appears to be positioning itself for the long haul. The government reshuffle, including Kuleba’s resignation, may be seen as part of a broader strategy to maintain international support and domestic resolve in the face of ongoing Russian aggression.
