In a surprising move, as the war with Russia entered its nineteenth month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that he had decided to fire Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov.

On Sunday, the President of Ukraine appointed the politician Rustam Umerov as the new Minister of Defense. Zelensky said that "Rostam Umerov will head the Ministry of Defense" and added: "I expect the parliament to support this candidate."

The announcement came in Zelensky's evening video address to the nation, paving the way for the biggest change in the Ukrainian military since the war with Russia began in February 2022.

Reznikov has served as defense minister since November 2021, and has played an important role in securing billions of dollars in military aid from the West to support its war effort. He described his office's accusation of corruption as slander.

"I decided to replace the Ukrainian defense minister. Oleksiy Reznikov spent more than 550 days in an all-out war," Zelensky said. He added, "I believe the ministry needs new methods and other forms of interaction both with the military and with society as a whole."

The parliament must approve the replacement of the defense minister, but the decision is expected to be supported by the majority of lawmakers in the Ukrainian parliament.

Zelensky said he expects parliament to approve Umarov's appointment as defense minister.