Ukraine hands defence post to popular general
President Petro Poroshenko on Monday turned to the popular head of Ukraine’s frontline forces in his search for a defence minister ahead of a crunch general election and high-stakes talks with Russia. The pro-Western leader asked National Guard irregular forces commander Stepan Poltorak to become Ukraine’s fourth defence minister since Russia’s seizure of Crimea in March and subsequent separatist uprising in the east.
“I talked to the generals and met regular soldiers, battalion commanders,” Mr Poroshenko told the 49-year-old career military man in a televised meeting. “These conversations convinced me about the accuracy of my choice.” Mr Poroshenko on Sunday accepted the resignation of embattled defence chief Valeriy Geletey after only three controversy-filled months on the job. Mr Geletey was pilloried for the August loss of more than 100 soldiers trapped near the Russian border by separatist militias who went on to seize back lost territory with the alleged support of Russian troops.
His dismissal highlighted a sense of failure that has enveloped the once-proud force as the six-month conflict with the pro-Russian gunmen drags on and the death toll from fighting approaches 3,400.
The military’s performance has humiliated Ukrainians who had been celebrating the success of a popular uprising that ousted the then Kremlin-backed leader in February and propelled Kyiv on its westward course. But the August bloodbath soon saw Kyiv agree to a Moscow-sponsored truce deal that included the rebels’ right to self-rule and exposed Mr Poroshenko to charges of effectively ceding a vital eastern industrial region to Russia.
Mr Poroshenko has been painstakingly polishing his defence credentials ahead of an October 26 parliamentary ballot that could decide the success of the remaining four years of his presidential term. And some of Ukraine’s most respected soldiers celebrated Mr Poroshenko’s announcement as long overdue.