Kyiv's defence ministry changed hands as graft claims mounted
A look back at the days around 5 September 2023, when a ministerial dismissal and a court arrest marked a turn in Ukraine's anti-corruption story.
What was happening in Kyiv's corridors of power in the days around 5 September 2023? Two reported developments, on 2 and 3 September, framed the moment.
On 3 September, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov amid graft allegations within the Ministry of Defence. Rustem Umerov, then head of the State Property Fund, was named to replace him.
A day earlier, on 2 September, a Ukrainian court ordered the arrest of billionaire Ihor Kolomoisky. He faced charges of fraud and money laundering, brought within the framework of corruption proceedings.
Taken together, the two events were reported as part of the wider debate over corruption in Ukraine during the Russian invasion. By 5 September 2023, the leadership change at the defence ministry and the court's decision on Kolomoisky were both on the public record.
