Updated 8:28 p.m. Moscow time
MOSCOW, October 12 (RIA Novosti) - Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has accepted the resignation of the country's Defense Minister Valeriy Heletei, the presidential website said Sunday.
"President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has accepted the letter of resignation of Defense Minister Valeriy Heletei, which had been filed to the head of state," the statement read.
Earlier, the Ukrainian media reported that Poroshenko was going to sack Heletei on Sunday. After that, the Defense Ministry said they did not have any information about the alleged resignation plans of the minister.
Recently Heletei was heavily criticized by the country's lawmakers. This was due to the failures in the security forces' special operation and, in particular, the events under Ilovaisk, where in late August Ukrainian battalions were surrounded and suffered serious losses.