UKRAINE, Aug. 19 – Ukraine’s parliament has appointed Yevhenii Khmara as the country’s new Minister of Defense, replacing Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed from that post in July. In the parliamentary vote, 312 members voted in favor, two against and 20 abstained.

Khmara’s appointment follows a political reshuffle in Ukraine’s defense leadership. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Fedorov as Defense Minister in July after tensions between the ministry and the military leadership came to the surface. Fedorov later declined several positions offered to him by Zelenskyy to remain in government. 

Fedorov’s dismissal sparked protests across Ukraine, with demonstrators demanding his reinstatement and the dismissal of then-Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi.

Later, Zelenskyy acknowledged tensions between Fedorov and Syrskyi. Fedorov accused Syrskiy of blocking his initiatives and issuing ultimatums. On Jul. 22, Zelenskyy dismissed Syrskyi and appointed Mykhailo Drapatyi new Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

On Aug. 18, a day before parliament was due to consider Khmara’s appointment, Fedorov called for wartime elections and accused Ukraine’s political system of facing a “crisis of governance.” His statement added a new political dimension to the dispute over his replacement. 

Who is Yevhenii Khmara?

Khmara is the veteran of Security Service of Ukraine, also known as SBU, who previously commanded Alpha Special Operations Center, which has been involved in Ukraine’s long-range drone attacks inside Russia. He had served in Alpha Center since 2011 and was appointed by Zelenskyy as its chief on Aug. 25, 2025  

He also led the operation of liberation of Ziminy Island in Black Sea. 

On Jan. 5, 2026, Zelenskyy appointed Khmara as the acting head of SBU, the same day when former Security Service chief Vasyl Malouk resigned. 

On Jul. 16, after dismissing Fedorov, Zelensky appointed Khmara acting minister of defense. 

Under Ukrainian law, only a civilian may hold the position of defense minister. According to the sources of Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrainian independent media outlet, Davyd Arakhamia, head of the ruling Servant of the People parliamentary faction, tried to push legislative amendments that would allow active-duty servicemen to lead the Defense Ministry. The proposal was later abandoned. 

Eventually, Khmara agreed to leave military service in order to be appointed as defense minister. He had previously been “firmly opposed” to giving up his military duties, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

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