Ukrainian parliament to vote on Khmara as defence minister amid military overhaul
Ukraine's parliament prepares to vote on Yevhen Khmara as Defence Minister as new army chief Mychajlo Drapatyj restructures military leadership.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has formally submitted a proposal to parliament to confirm Yevhen Khmara, former head of the security service, as Defence Minister. The Verkhovna Rada is expected to vote on Wednesday regarding Khmara and Foreign Minister nominee Andrii Sybiha.
The leadership shift follows last month's dismissal of Mychajlo Fedorov, which triggered public protests. Fedorov has since criticized state corruption and urged national elections despite the ongoing war, warning of a governance crisis.
Simultaneously, newly appointed Commander-in-Chief Mychajlo Drapatyj has initiated reforms to restructure the armed forces and dismantle patronage networks established under former leadership.
Sources: Ekonomický deník, Hospodářské noviny, iROZHLAS, Respect, Seznam Zprávy
How outlets assessed this
- Aug 28, 2026, 11:30 PM UTC
- Hospodářské noviny Supportive Emphasized Drapatyj's decisive personal leadership and past battlefield determination.
- Seznam Zprávy Critical Highlighted systemic flaws and internal patronage networks within the armed forces leadership.
Sources
- Seznam Zprávy — Nový šéf ukrajinské armády rozebírá „soukromou“ armádu svého předchůdce
- Hospodářské noviny — Ukrajinská armáda má nového šéfa. Co všechno by se mohlo změnit pod vedením Mychajla Drapatého
- Respect — Zelenskyj navrhl Chmaru na ministra obrany, hlasovat se má ve středu
- Ekonomický deník — Muž z tajné služby má řídit ukrajinskou obranu. Zelenskyj vsadil na Chmaru
- iROZHLAS — ONLINE: Bývalý ministr Fedorov volá po volbách na Ukrajině. Země podle něj čelí krizi vládnutí a korupci
Earlier coverage
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