Andrei Lubenski: Ukrainian defence minister resigned

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma announced, while appearing in TV,that he had accepted Defence Minister Alexander Kuzmuk’s resignation. As known, Kuzmuk has sent in his resignation just after Russian Tu-134 airliner crash over Black Sea. However, later, he denied the Ukrainian military’s implication in this tragedy. After the Ukrainian interagency commission made conclusions coinciding with the conclusions of the special commission, the resignation was signed. Ukrainian aircraft commander Vladimir Tkachev and his assistant were also placed on the retired list. The defence minister’s duty is being temporarily executed by the general staff’s chief, Vladimir Shkidchenko, Interfax-Ukraine, referring to the Ukrainian president’s press-service reports. Leonid Kuchma also ordered to stop the launching of missiles and to carry out an inspection of Ukranian armament.

Andrei Lubenski PRAVDA.Ru Ukraine