Zelensky names security chief Khmara acting defense minister

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed the acting head of the country’s Security Service, Yevhenii Khmara, as acting defense minister, a move that follows the dismissal of a popular reformist minister and has triggered rare public protests during wartime. The appointment, announced on July 16, 2026, is part of a wider cabinet reshuffle and aims to address a deepening political crisis within Ukraine’s leadership.

Zelensky said he selected Khmara for his extensive experience in technological combat operations, specifically citing the Security Service’s role in staging long-range strikes against Russian oil infrastructure and military targets. The president stated he has tasked Khmara with continuing reforms in the defense sector and will ask parliament to confirm him permanently for the post once legal formalities, including Khmara’s retirement from military service, are completed.

The decision came a day after Zelensky dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had served for six months and was widely praised for modernizing Ukraine’s military, accelerating drone production, and implementing technology-driven reforms. In a press conference, Zelensky defended...