Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba resigns after Russian strikes kill 7 in Lviv.

KYIV, Ukraine (Associated Press) — In advance of what is anticipated to be a significant reorganization of the cabinet, Dmytro Kuleba, the Foreign Minister of Ukraine, tendered his resignation on Wednesday. Kuleba is one of the most recognizable faces of Ukraine on the international arena. Meanwhile, Russian strikes in the Ukrainian city of Lviv, which is located close to the Polish border, resulted in the deaths of at least seven people. This occurred one day after one of the bloodiest missile attacks since the beginning of the war.

The reason that Kuleba, who is 43 years old, resigned was not provided. According to a post that was made on the Facebook page of the Speaker of the Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk, his resignation would be debated by MPs during their upcoming session. As of late Tuesday night, four additional Cabinet ministers submitted their resignations, making the Cabinet upheaval possibly the most significant since Russia’s invasion in February of 2022.

As the war is about to enter a crucial stage and as the one thousand day mark approaches in November, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled last week that a reshuffle was near. This comes as the war is about to enter a critical stage.

While Ukraine is engaged in a grinding battle of attrition with its larger neighbor, Zelensky is tasked with maintaining the country’s morale and strengthening the nation’s determination in preparation for what is expected to be another harsh winter. Russia has been destroying Ukraine’s electrical grid, which has resulted in the loss of approximately 70 percent of the country’s generation capacity as well as supply of both heat and water.

An foray into the Kursk border region of Russia by the Ukrainian army, which was risky but mainly successful, took place over a month ago. This was a response to the months of negative news coming from the front line in eastern Ukraine.

On the other hand, Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to be adamant about advancing his forces further into eastern Ukraine, and Kursk is not a priority for him. In his efforts to destroy Ukrainian opposition, Vladimir Putin will continue to be uncompromising and unyielding, as seen by Russia’s attack in Donetsk, where Ukraine is lacking in troops and air defenses, as well as by long-range missile strikes that frequently hit civilian areas of Ukraine.

In a statement released late on Tuesday, the Institute for the Study of War, a think tank based in Washington, stated that Vladimir Putin is of the opinion that Russia “can slowly and indefinitely subsume Ukraine through grinding advances and that Russia can achieve its goals through a war of attrition against Ukrainian forces and by outlasting Western support” for Kyiv.

Zelensky is also keeping in mind the presidential election that will take place in the United States in November, which may bring about a change in the way that the United States military provides support for his country.

Throughout the conflict, Kuleba has been second only to Zelenskyy in terms of conveying the message and requirements of Ukraine to an international audience. This has been accomplished through social media posts as well as meetings with dignitaries from other countries. In July, Kuleba made history by becoming the highest-ranking official from Ukraine to travel to China since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. His tenure as minister of foreign affairs began in March of 2020.

It is not yet known who will succeed Kuleba, but it is anticipated that the announcement will be made on Thursday. Several Ukrainian media outlets, citing individuals that want to remain anonymous, said that Andrii Sybiha, Kuleba’s deputy, will be promoted to the position of chief diplomat for the country.

It is quite probable that the newly appointed foreign minister will join Zelenskyy to the United Nations General Assembly in New York the following week. This presentation is an opportunity to lobby world leaders for their support.

According to Davyd Arakhamiia, a leader of Zelenskyy’s party in the Ukrainian parliament, more than half of the existing Cabinet will be subject to revisions. According to what he said, ministers would turn in their resignations on Wednesday, and fresh appointments will be made on Thursday.

The five-year mandate that Zelenskyy had reached its end in May. In accordance with the laws of martial law, he continues to hold power.

Andrii Sadovyi, the Mayor of Lviv, stated that Russian strikes led to the deaths of at least seven individuals and injuries to thirty-five others during a nocturnal strike on the city. According to him, among the deceased were a youngster and a medical worker, and others remain in severe condition following the incident.

The city of Lviv is located approximately 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the border with Poland, which is a member of both NATO and the European Union and is one of the most vociferous allies of Ukraine.

An overnight strike also injured five people in Kryvyi Rih, which is Zelenskyy’s hometown, according to Serhii Lysak, the chairman of the regional government team.

According to Kuleba, the strikes demonstrated that Ukraine requires additional backing from the West. “In order 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. “This is the only way to put an end to this terror.”

In response to the attacks, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine’s allies should provide Kyiv with “more range” so that it might employ Western weapons to launch operations farther into Russian territory.

According to Ukrainian officials, the incident took place one day after two ballistic missiles struck a military academy and a neighboring hospital in Poltava, which is located in the eastern-central region of Ukraine. The attack resulted in the deaths of 53 people and injuries to approximately 300 others.

The missiles caused the main building of the Poltava Military Institute of Communication to fall, forcing multiple levels to collapse as a result of their impact.

The city of Poltava is located around 350 kilometers (200 miles) southeast of Kyiv. It is situated on the primary highway and rail route that connects Kyiv to Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine, which is located close to the border with Russia.