&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Ukrainian parliament approves appointment of new defence minister after controversial reshuffle")
The Ukrainian parliament on Wednesday (Aug 19) approved the appointment of its new defence minister Yevhenii Khmara, who will succeed Mykhailo Fedorov, who was terminated after 6 months in office. The approval came a month after Fedorov was removed from office for releasing a video in which he allegedly called for an election that has been put off because of the Russian invasion.
The removal of Fedorov had led to a blistering public row between the army and the defence ministry.
Yevgeniy Khmara, is a major general and former senior Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officer. He was appointed as the new Defence Minister after his nomination was approved by the Verkhovna Rad (Ukraine’s parliament) with 321 votes in his favour.
Khmara previously served as acting head of the SBU and, from July 2026, as acting Defence Minister.
After his appointment, Ukrainian Preisdent Volodymyr Zelensky hailed the parliament's move and said "Ukraine needs more strength. And it will have it."
Addressing the parliament before the vote, Khmara vowed to “do everything to defend Ukraine, to reduce Russia's war potential as much as possible, and to force the enemy into a just peace.”
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
About Yevgeniy Khmara
Yevgeniy Khmara, is a major general and former senior Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officer. He served in some of SBU's most secretive units.
Not much is known about Khmara due to his association with SBU. His official biography does not have any mention about his date and place of birth, reported AFP.
The biography talks about how he is involved in the fight against Russian forces since 2014 and the first assaults on Ukraine led by Moscow-backed separatists.
In 2023, he was named to head the SBU's Special Operations Center "A" -- also known as the Alpha unit which has been linked to Operation Spiderweb, a high-profile attack on Russian aircraft in 2025 that involved smuggling explosive drones deep into Russia.
