Ukraine’s foreign minister Kuleba resigns as Russian strikes kill 7 people in Lviv
Ukraine’s foreign minister submitted his resignation Wednesday ahead of a major government reshuffle – as a Russian airstrike took out seven people in the latest aerial assault from the Kremlin.
Dmytro Kuleba, 43, one of Kyiv’s most recognizable faces in the international stage, stepped down from his position just a day after four other Cabinet ministers handed in their resignation in the biggest government reshuffle since the war began.
Kuleba, who has served as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s most valuable advocate since the Russian invasion, did not state a reason for his departure.
In July, Kubela became the highest-ranking Ukrainian official to visit China amid the war to ask Beijing’s help to push Russia toward a cease-fire.
It remains unclear who will replace him as the Kremlin continues its steady advance in Ukraine.
Several Ukrainian outlets, citing unmanned sources, suggested Kubela’s deputy, Andril Sybiha, would take up the role as Kyiv’s chief diplomat to accompany Zelensky on his latest trip to the UN next week.
Zelensky had indicated last week that a major reshuffle of his administration was imminent as the war nears its 1,000-day mark. The Ukrainian president said Wednesday that his country needed “new energy, and that includes in diplomacy.”
Davyd Arakhamiia, a leader of Zelensky’s party in the Ukrainian parliament, said more than half the current Cabinet will undergo changes, with the new appointments expected to be announced on Thursday.
The government shakeup comes as a major Russian strike hit the city of Lviv on Wednesday, a western area far from the front-lines and near the border with NATO member Poland.
The strike killed at least seven people and injured another 52, according to Ukraine’s Rescue Service. The attack was carried out with a Kinzhal missile and drones, which targeted Kyiv’s defense industry, the Kremlin said.
Liv Mayor Andrii Sadovyi disputed the claim as he shared photos to the press of a mother and three daughters who were killed when their home was struck in the attack.
The European Youth Forum, a platform of the continent’s youth organizations, confirmed the death of the oldest daughter, Yaryna, 21.
“We will neither forget nor forgive” the attack, her colleagues said in a Facebook post.
During his last official duties as Ukraine’s foreign minister, Kuleba said Wednesday’s attack demonstrated yet again the need for the West to support his nation.
“To put an end to this terror, Ukraine’s partners must promptly deliver the promised air defense systems and ammunition, as well as strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities and allow us to launch long-range strikes on all legitimate military targets in Russia,” he wrote on X.
Wednesday’s attack took place just a day after two ballistic missiles destroyed a military academy and a nearby hospital in eastern-central Ukraine, killing 53 people and leaving nearly 300 others injured, Ukrainian officials said.
