Ukraine Parliament dismisses two Zelensky Cabinet members

UPI
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses the Forum 'Ukraine. Year 2024' in Kyiv on February 25. Parliament dismissed two of his Cabinet members on Thursday in a reshuffling. UPI
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May 9 (UPI) -- Ukraine's agriculture minister Mykola Solskyi and Oleksandr Kubrakov, the deputy prime minister were removed by Parliament on Thursday in a reshuffling of President Volodymyr Zelensky's Cabinet during wartime.

Solskyi had been accused by Ukraine's anti-corruption office in April of being involved in a $7.43 million illegal acquisition of state-owned land. He was arrested afterward but released on bail.

The anti-corruption court in April also ordered the arrest of Deputy Agriculture Minister Markiian Dmytrasevych for being connected to the same illegal land deal.

A total of 273 lawmakers voted in favor of Solskyi's dismissal with only one voting against it. Eleven members of parliament abstained and 36 were absent.

Kubrakov, who also served as infrastructure minister, was dismissed in a unanimous vote by 272 voting members, while 13 abstained and 35 weren't present.

Kubrakov pushed back on his dismissal in a Facebook post, saying no one spoke to him about his dismisssal he was "ready" for an "open dialogue" about the work of his ministry and responsibility.

"From the first days of war, military logistics, reconstruction of housing and municipal infrastructure were added to our responsibilities in the field of transport and mail," Kubrakov said according to the Kyiv Independent.

"[The ministry] managed to launch a number of important initiatives and projects for the state."

Despite Russia's continued invasion of Ukraine where the country is attacked militarily daily, Zelensky promised a "reboot" of state institutions in March. The Cabinet changes appear to be part of those changes.