Ukraine prepares for key defence appointments amid military leadership shake-up

Ukrainian lawmakers are preparing to vote on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's nomination of former intelligence chief Yevhen Khmara as defence minister, alongside the confirmation of Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. The upcoming vote follows a major restructuring of Ukraine's wartime leadership following the dismissal of previous defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov.

Following his removal, Fedorov publicly criticised entrenched military command structures and cited governance issues, urging the country to hold wartime elections to tackle corruption. Meanwhile, newly appointed commander-in-chief Mykhailo Drapatyj has begun overhauling senior military structures, seeking to dismantle patronage networks established under the previous leadership and streamline command across front-line units.

Sources: Ekonomický deník, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy