Volodymyr Zelensky, President of Ukraine.Image: DPA
July 16, 2026, 7:40 p.mJuly 16, 2026, 7:40 p.m
In Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has proposed intelligence officer Yevhenij Khmara as the new defense minister. The head of state announced on Telegram that the candidacy will soon be submitted to parliament. Chmara will lead the ministry until all legal procedures have been completed. According to the constitution, the president has the right to nominate the post of defense minister. Mykhailo Fedorov was previously fired as defense minister.
Chmara has been in charge of the SBU secret service since January. He is considered an expert in drone operations in the Russian hinterland and holds the rank of major general. However, according to Ukrainian law, the minister must be a civilian.
His predecessor Fedorov only took over the ministry in January. The dismissal of Fedorov, who was considered a reformer, was accompanied by protests in Kiev and other cities. The defense minister has been replaced for the fourth time since the Russian invasion in February 2022. (sda/dpa)