Poroshenko nominates Stepan Poltorak as new Ukraine defence minister

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko proposed a new defence minister last night after the previous incumbent resigned in a surprise decision ahead of high-level talks with Moscow on bringing peace to the Western-backed former Soviet republic.

The presidential website named Stepan Poltorak, 49, head of Ukraine's National Guard, as Poroshenko's choice to replace Valery Heletey. Parliament is expected to vote on the nomination on Tuesday.

By replacing his defence minister now, two weeks before a parliamentary election in Ukraine, political analysts said Poroshenko was trying to disarm critics of his record in tackling the pro-Russian rebels in the east of the country.

Heletey had faced heavy criticism after Ukrainian forces suffered a crushing defeat at rebel hands on August 24 at Ilovaisk, east of the main rebel-held eastern city of Donetsk.

That setback, in which Kiev says more than 100 Ukrainian military personnel were killed, prompted Poroshenko to accept the need for a ceasefire and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, military sources say.

The six month conflict has led to the deaths of 3,400 people.