National Guard commander named Ukraine's new defense minister

KIEV, Ukraine, Oct. 14 (UPI) -- Ukraine's new defense minister, its fourth this year, was approved by Parliament on Tuesday.

Former National Guard commander Stepan Poltorak will succeed Valeriy Heletey, 49, who resigned Sunday after criticism for the defeat in August of Ukrainian troops fighting pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region.

President Petro Poroshenko made the televised announcement, prior to elections later this month and a meeting in Italy with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week.

"I talked to the generals and met regular soldiers, battalion commanders. These conversations convinced me about the accuracy of my choice."

Poroshenko added the negotiations with Putin would not be easy, although 17,600 Russian troops stationed on the border with Ukraine were pulled back over the weekend to their permanent base. NATO and Ukraine claimed their deployment was an element of the conflict within Ukraine, but the Kremlin said they were merely completing routine training. Analysts suggested the pullback is connected to Russia's eagerness to soften Western economic sanctions; the Russian ruble fell to an all-time low Monday.