BBC Pidgin of Monday, 4 September 2023

Source: BBC

Who be Rustem Umerov wey go replace di Ukraine defence minister wey Zelensky sack

Rustem Umerov Rustem Umerov

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky don sack im Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov from im post.

Di kontri leader wey announce di sack on Sunday say na time for "new approaches" for di defence ministry.

Oga Reznikov bin lead di ministry since before Russia full-scale invasion for February 2022 start.

Di president don nominate Rustem Umerov, wey dey run Ukraine State Property Fund as oga Reznikov successor.

"I believe say di ministry need new approaches plus oda formats of interaction wit both di military and society as a whole," di Ukrainian president tok for im address from di capital Kyiv.

Ukrainian media dey reason say oga Reznikov go become Kyiv new ambassador for London, wia e don develop good relations wit senior politicians.

Di 57-year-old don become popular since di war for Ukraine start. Dem sabi am wel-well for international level as e dey regularly attend meetings wit Ukraine western allies and don play key role in lobbying for additional military equipment.

But dis im sack no come to am as surprise. Oga Reznikov bin tell tori pipo last week say im dey explore oda positions wit di Ukrainian president.

According to local media, di former defence minister tok say if oga Zelensky give am opportunity to work on anoda project, im go gree.

Reznikov sack dey come inside one big anti-corruption drive for oga Zelensky administration.

Although Reznikov no dey personally accused of corruption, however tori about scandals dey for di ministry of defence wey involve di procurement of goods and equipment for di army at inflated prices.

Earlier dis year, oga Reznikov deputy, Vyacheslav Shapovalov, bin resign as tori of di scandal dey spread. Tori bi say na small Mr Reznikov bin take hold on to im own post.

Who be Rustem Umerov?

Ukraine leader go replace oga Reznikov wit oga Umerov. Oga Umerov bin represent Ukraine in peace toks for di beginning of Russia full-scale invasion.

Di ex-MP bin allegedly suffer from symptoms of suspected poisoning during one peace negotiations for March 2022 and Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich wey also be part of di negotiating party. For one statement e post on Facebook, e later deny di tori and tell pipo say make dem no trust "unverified information".

E tell BBC dat time say e take courage to find solutions but im dey determined "to find [a] political and diplomatic resolution to dis brutal invasion".

Oga Rustem Umerov na member of di Crimean Tatar community, e don become key member of oga Zelensky international outreach efforts, and e dey focus on promoting ties for di Islamic world.

Oga Umerov na politician, businessman and activist. Dem born am for Soviet Uzbekistan, di kontri wia dem banish im family go under Stalin. E relocate back to Crimea for Ukraine wen dem allow Tatars to return for di 1980s and 1990s.

Di 41-year-old Muslim start im telecoms business for 2004 and dem elect am to parliament for 2019.

For years, e work as adviser to di historic leader of di Crimean Tatars, Mustafa Dzhemilev.

E bin dey part of Ukraine delegation for negotiations wit Russia for di first weeks of di war and e join for discussions on establishing one export corridor for Ukrainian grain through di Black Sea.

For September 2022, dem name am as head of di State Property Fund – one particularly tough role for Ukraine where corruption don spoil di process of privatisation.