Updated 9:21 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, October 12 (RIA Novosti) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is going to submit the candidature of a new defense minister for parliamentary approval on October 13, presidential website said on Sunday.
According to the statement released on the Ukrainian leader's official website, "Petro Poroshenko noted that he intends to submit filing on the approval of a new Ukrainian defense Minister to the Parliament as early as tomorrow".
Poroshenko added that he hopes the appointment of Heletei's successor as the country's new defense minister would take place at October 14 session of the Ukrainian parliament.
According to the Ukrainian media, President Poroshenko was going to sack Heletei on Sunday. The Defense Ministry, however, said they did not have any information the minister's resignation plans.
Valeriy Heletei has been heavily criticized by the country's lawmakers over the Ukrainian military failures in the country's South-East, and, in particular, the events near Ilovaisk, where in late August Ukrainian forces were surrounded by independence supporters and suffered serious losses.
