Yevhenii Khmara

President Volodymyr Zelensky updated Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) on July 31, adding new leadership following a government reshuffle. New members include Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapatyi, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, and ministers Yevhenii Khmara and Andrii Sybiha.

The removal of Ukraine's Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov caused criticism, with supporters attributing wartime tech advances to him. Ukraine's drone warfare dominance is expected to continue under the new Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara, a security and drone operations specialist.

Zelensky appoints Yevhenii Khmara as Ukraine's acting defense minister. Khmara is a major general with experience in intelligence, counterterrorism, and long-range strikes against Russia.

Zelensky appointed Major General Yevhenii Khmara as acting defense minister following the dismissal of Ukraine's tech chief, which caused a rift with the military command and triggered nationwide protests. Russian war bloggers celebrated the dismissal as a 'gift' to Moscow.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy replaced defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov with spy chief Yevhenii Khmara amid a conflict between Fedorov and Army Commander Oleksandr Syrskyi. Fedorov accused Syrskyi of blocking reforms and favoring traditional military methods, while Syrskyi criticized Fedorov for undermining unity.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Yevhenii Khmara, head of the country’s security services, as acting defense minister. Khmara will replace Mykhailo Fedorov, dismissed as part of a cabinet reshuffle, with Zelenskyy citing Khmara’s experience in technological combat operations to drive defense reforms.