Ukrainian parliament prepares to vote on defense and foreign minister appointments

Ukrainian lawmakers are set to vote on Wednesday on President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's nominations of former secret service chief Yevhen Khmara as defense minister and Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister. The leadership reshuffle follows the controversial dismissal of former defense minister Mychajlo Fedorov, which sparked public debate across the country.

Concurrently, newly appointed military chief Mychajlo Drapatyj is overhauling command structures to resolve operational bottlenecks and administrative issues linked to previous leadership. The institutional shifts take place amid escalating Russian drone and missile strikes targeting critical civilian infrastructure, including fuel depots and postal logistics hubs. Former minister Fedorov cautioned that Ukraine must urgently bolster its air defense capabilities to counter the intensifying aerial bombardment.

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