Ukrainian parliament to vote on new defence minister amid military overhaul

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has officially submitted a proposal to parliament to confirm former intelligence chief Yevhen Khmara as Defence Minister. The Verkhovna Rada is scheduled to vote on Wednesday, alongside a confirmation vote for Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

The executive transition follows the dismissal of former Defence Minister Mychajlo Fedorov, whose removal sparked rare public protests. Following his exit, Fedorov publicly denounced widespread corruption and called for holding national elections despite the ongoing war, warning that the country faces a serious governance crisis.

Meanwhile, newly appointed Commander-in-Chief Mychajlo Drapatyj has begun restructuring the armed forces. Drapatyj's overhaul aims to dismantle internal patronage networks built under his predecessor, Oleksandr Syrskyj, as part of broader military leadership reforms.

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