Saakashvili says to resign as governor of Ukraine's Odessa region

Odessa's governor Mikheil Saakashvili speaks the site of a recovery operation near Odessa, Ukraine, October 17, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer

KIEV (Reuters) - Former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili tendered his resignation as governor of Ukraine's southern Odessa region on Monday, accusing highly-placed officials in Kiev of obstructing his attempts at reform.

Saakashvili, who is widely credited with cracking down on graft when he was president of Georgia from 2004-2013, was appointed Odessa governor in May 2015 by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.