Ukraine's parliament appoints new ministers; Russian advance near Pokrovsk is stopped: September 5 highlights

“Big reset” of Ukraine’s government

The Verkhovna Rada made a number of personnel changes in the government, dismissing six ministers and appointing nine.

Dmytro Kuleba was dismissed from the post of Foreign Minister. He will be replaced by Andrii Sybiga who earlier was First Deputy Foreign Minister.

Iryna Vereshchuk has been dismissed from the post of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories. She is appointed as Specialized Deputy Head of the Presidential Office.

Olha Stefanishyna will take over as Minister of Justice. She will also remain Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration.

The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications will be headed by Mykola Tochytskyi.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy noted that the newly appointed officials should achieve certain results this fall.

Zelenskyy: Ukraine is not going to bring "Ukrainian life" to Kursk region

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine does not need Russian territories and does not want to bring "Ukrainian life" there.

According to Zelenskyy, Ukraine will also "not exchange one territory for another."

At the same time, Ukrainian Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that Russia had planned to launch a new attack on Ukrainian territory from the Kursk region before the Defense Forces launched their operation in that region.

Syrskyi: Armed Forces stopped Russian advance in the Pokrovsk direction

Armed Forces of Ukraine managed to stop the advance of Russian troops in the Pokrovsk direction, announced Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

"Over the last six days, the enemy hasn’t advanced a single meter in the Pokrovsk direction. In other words, our strategy is working," Syrskyi said.

Evacuation trains canceled in Pokrovsk

Boarding of evacuation trains has been canceled in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region, due to the deteriorating security situation. Starting September 5, the city of Pavlohrad in Dnipropetrovsk region will be the initial station for the evacuation of civilians from Donetsk region.

At the same time, daily trains from Lviv and Kyiv to Pokrovsk will continue to run until September 11. Only evacuation trains will be available thereafter.

IMF plans to send a mission to Moscow

The International Monetary Fund plans to resume cooperation with Russia and send a mission to Moscow. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reacted with an official statement:

"It would be absurd for the main financial institution of the United Nations to legitimize the Russian regime, which has effectively destroyed the very foundations of the UN Charter by launching the largest aggressive war in Europe since World War II and committing horrific atrocities against the Ukrainian people."

Other important news

• Death toll after Russian missile attack on Poltava on Sept. 3 rises to 55.
• Sweden will allocate more than €43 million for Ukraine's energy and heating needs.
• The US is still against strikes deep into Russia as Russian aircraft are outside of ATACMS reach, said  US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby.
• In the Zakarpattia region, a woman said that her father died after being beaten by representatives of the Territorial Center for Recruitment. Ombudsman Lubinets responded.
• Fire rages in the Sviati Hory National Park in the Donetsk region. The national park representatives say it has never suffered such damage before.