What is happening in Ukraine? Zelensky with an iron hand, dismisses 6 deputy ministers

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dismissed all the Deputy Ministers of Defense during a meeting this Monday.

Six of Ukraine's deputy defense ministers were dismissed on Monday following the dismissal two weeks ago of Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov in a corruption scandal, officials said, as heavy fighting continued in the east.

Russia claimed to have hit key Ukrainian facilities in overnight airstrikes, hitting stores of Storm Shadow missiles and depleted uranium munitions along with electronic intelligence centers and training facilities for Ukrainian military scouts.

The fired deputy defense ministers, including Hanna Maliar, Vitalii Deyneha and Denys Sharapov, as well as the state secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Kostiantyn Vashchenko, were dismissed, according to the Telegram account of Taras Melnychuk, permanent representative of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Melnychuk gave no explanation for the firings, but the government has been investigating allegations of corruption in the military related to the purchase of equipment. Rustem Umerov, a Crimean Tatar lawmaker who took over as defense minister, did not immediately issue a statement.

Reznikov was removed earlier this month after a scandal involving the procurement of military jackets by the defense ministry at three times their cost. Reznikov denied the allegations but resigned. The department's reshuffle came a day after the Ukrainian military said it captured the village of Klishchiivka from Russian troops after months of fierce fighting.

Fighting continued on Monday as troops tried to hold the village south of the Russian-held town of Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region. His recapture followed the recapture of the nearby village of Andriivka

"The enemy is trying with all his might to regain the lost positions," Maliar told a news conference on Monday before it was dismissed. "Therefore, our fighters contain the enemy's attacks there and are embedded in the borders achieved." The recapture of Klishchiivka is considered tactically important, allowing Ukrainian forces to further extend their gains around Bakhmut.

In other fighting, six civilians were killed and 16 wounded over the past 24 hours after Russia claimed it had used long-range missiles and drones to strike UK-supplied missiles and depleted uranium munitions that could be used to destroy tanks. "The aim of the strike has been fulfilled, all the designated facilities have been hit", the ministry said without giving details.