Kiev, 4 September 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is nominating Rustem Umyerov as defence minister, he said on Sunday, to replace Oleksii Reznikov, in a move that has been expected for some time.

Umyerov is the head of the Ukrainian State Property Fund.

Zelensky will submit a proposal to parliament to adopt the decision, he said during his evening video broadcast.

Reznikov spent 550 days as defence minister since the war began, Zelensky said, of the full-scale invasion launched by Russia in February 2022.

"I believe that the ministry needs new approaches and other formats of interaction with both the military and society at large," Zelensky said in his message.

The move comes after reports in Ukrainian media that Reznikov was to soon be replaced.

Reznikov also said repeatedly that he was ready to go, but that a replacement would have to be found. He said he had spoken to Zelensky about holding a different post.

Earlier, Reznikov said he expected F16 fighter jets promised by Western allies to be deployed against Russia next spring, in an interview.

He told the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform that in addition to training pilots on the fighter jets in the country, other key factors were needed, namely infrastructure, specialists and facilities for the maintenance of the aircraft.

That means the jets won't be deployed on the front lines before spring, he said.

The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway have all promised to provide Ukraine with F-16s. Reznikov also said he had to write several letters vowing that the NATO weapons would not be used against Russian territory.

However, Russia has warned that the use of Western fighter jets would lead to a further escalation of violence in the war.

So far, Ukraine is set to get more than 50 aircraft. Zelensky recently said the embattled nation needs a total of 160 F-16s, in order to regain sovereignty over its airspace.

Meanwhile several countries are participating in the training of Ukrainian pilots.

Reznikov said Ukraine's Western allies have so far provided around $100 billion in military aid, including $60 billion from the US alone.

The sums have been spent on weapons, military equipment and ammunition.

Ukraine is also receiving billions in aid from the West, to finance its budget for example.