The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has appointed a new Deputy Minister of Defense for financial affairs to work under Minister Yevhen Khmara. The position has been filled by Major Oleksandr Plachynta, who assumed his duties following a government decision, as announced by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. As reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing the ministry's statement, in his new role, Plachynta will be responsible for the formation and execution of the defense budget, managing resources from various funding sources, and coordinating with international partners.
Who is Oleksandr Plachynta?
Oleksandr Plachynta was born in 1995 in Novoselytsia, Chernivtsi region. He graduated from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy with bachelor's and master's degrees in law. Before his military career, he worked as a legal assistant, junior lawyer, and attorney. From July 2022 to May 2024, Plachynta served in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and since May 2024, he held the rank of officer in the Main Directorate of Military Justice. According to the Ministry of Defense, immediately prior to his appointment as Deputy Minister, he headed the Ministry's Main Directorate of International Defense Resources.
The new Deputy's responsibilities
In his new capacity, Plachynta oversees key financial areas of the defense department: the formation and implementation of the defense budget, resource management from diverse funding streams, and cooperation with international partners. He is therefore tasked with responsibilities involving both internal budget planning and the attraction and coordination of external financial support, making this one of the most significant posts within the ministry structure.
Context: A wave of personnel changes in the defense department
Plachynta's appointment is part of a series of personnel decisions within the defense sector. Previously, as reported by RBC-Ukraine, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, signed a decree appointing Kostiantyn Humeniuk as Commander of the Medical Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and on September 2, Sviatoslav Zayits was appointed as the new Commander of the Ground Forces. Concurrently, according to the Ministry of Defense, on September 23, 2026, the government decided to appoint Major Oleksiy Reva as Deputy Minister of Defense for Digital Development, Digital Transformations, and Digitalization, tasking him with overseeing the "Armiya+", "Rezerv+" services and the DELTA combat system.
Significance of the appointment
The arrival of a relatively young professional with a legal background and service experience to the financial post of the defense department emphasizes the focus on transparent budget management and work with international donors during the ongoing war. The sum of recent appointments — from commanders of service branches to deputy ministers for finance and digitalization — indicates a systemic reorganization of the personnel composition of Ukraine's defense block.
