Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko on Sunday accepted the resignation of Defense Minister Valery Heletey, who has been heavily criticized since government forces in Ilovaisk were defeated by pro-Russian rebels in August.

Heletey, who used to be the head of the presidential bodyguard unit, is the third person to be appointed as defense minister since former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovich was booted by mass protests in February, according to The Globe and Mail.

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Poroshenko's official website said the president hoped to present a new candidate for Heletey's vacated position on Monday, the report added.

When Heletey was appointed in July, he vowed to hold a victory parade for Ukrainians in Crimea, the area Russia had annexed earlier this year after Yanukovich's ouster. However, this promise turned out to be unrealistic since Russian-backed separatists have grown stronger in eastern Ukraine.

Over 100 Ukrainian troops and government volunteers died in a surprise attack by Russian forces backing the rebels, according to Kiev. The separatists also took a lot of Ukrainian prisoners, the report stated.

On September 5, Kiev was able to broker a truce with Moscow and the separatists. The said ceasefire is still holding despite several violations near the Donetsk airport, where government forces are still guarding.

Meanwhile, Poroshenko announced via his website that he is preparing for his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Italy this week. He acknowledged that the discussion will be a difficult one, but he is hopeful that the two parties would be able to achieve "full ceasefire" in a few days, the report relayed.

In addition, Poroshenko expressed hope that the parliamentary election on October 26 will make way for the formation of a coalition that would back his peace policies. However, he still faces resistance from parties who want Ukraine to be united with Russia.

TagsUkraine-Russia, Defense Minster, resignation, Petro Poroshenko, Valery Heletey