National Security Committee of Ukrainian Parliament demands dismissal of Chief of Staff Muzhenko
The Committee on National Security and Defense of the Verkhovna Rada decided to propose to President Petro Poroshenko that Chief of the General Staff Viktor Muzhenko be dismissed. The deputies believe that he made systematic miscalculations connected with safe storage of ammunition, which eventually led to explosions in warehouses in Balakliia, Kalynivka and others.
This decision was made at a meeting of the committee on Wednesday.
The committee also proposed to dismiss the head of the Law Enforcement Military Service in the Armed Forces.
In addition, the committee sent a proposal to Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman to send unused funds from Ministry of Defense budget to bolster and improve ammunition depots.
On September 26, ammunition began to explode in an arsenal of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine near Kalynivka in the Vinnytsia region. Law enforcement authorities believe that the cause of the explosions was sabotage.
In March, on the territory of Ukraine’s largest military depot, located in Balakliia, Kharkiv region, a fire broke out, followed by the detonation of 125mm and 152mm tank and artillery shells. According to the military prosecutor’s office, the cause of the fire was sabotage. It was also reported that the fire was set from a drone. 138,000 tons of ammunition were kept in the warehouse. According to the Minister of Defense Stepan Poltorak, 70% of it was destroyed in the fire.