---
title: "Yevhen Khmara — New Acting Minister of Defense of Ukraine: Tasks, Challenges, and Context of Appointment"
description: "🇺🇦 Zelenskyy appointed Yevhen Khmara as Acting Minister of Defense of Ukraine following Fedorov’s resignation. Presidential advisor emphasized: tasks remain the same, but security competencies will be added. Klymenko’s candidacy was rejected — an SBU figure was chosen instead. #Ukraine #MinistryOfDefense #Khmara"
date: 2026-07-17T12:02:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/yevhen-khmara-new-acting-minister-of-defense-of-ukraine-tasks-challenges-and-context-of-appointment
tags: [khmara, ukraine, ministry-of-defense, zelensky, sbu]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Yevhen Khmara — New Acting Minister of Defense of Ukraine: Tasks, Challenges, and Context of Appointment

![Yevhen Hmara, the new acting Minister of Defense of Ukraine, in front of the Ukrainian flag](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/17/evgeniy-khmara-novyy-io-ministra-oborony-ukrainy-zadachi-vyzovy-i-kontekst-naznacheniya/evgeniy-khmara-novyy-io-ministra-oborony-ukrainy-zadachi-vyzovy-i-kontekst-naznacheniya-1.webp)

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed Major General Yevhen Khmara as the Acting Minister of Defense of Ukraine. This decision follows the resignation of Mykhailo Fedorov, who reportedly left the post due to ineffective interaction with the military leadership, particularly with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrsky.

Presidential Advisor Dmytro Litvin confirmed to journalists that Khmara is taking over the full scope of tasks previously handled by Fedorov — including both resolved and unresolved issues. “There are also security competencies that will help control certain aspects,” Litvin noted.

### Who is Yevhen Khmara?

Yevhen Khmara is currently the Acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Prior to his appointment as Acting Minister of Defense, he held leadership positions within law enforcement agencies, which, according to the presidential administration, will give him an advantage in coordinating between the defense ministry and security services.

### Why not Ihor Klymenko?

Before making the final decision, Zelenskyy considered the candidacy of former Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko. However, it did not receive sufficient support either in society or among members of parliament. As a result, the choice fell on Khmara, whose experience in the security sector was deemed more aligned with the country’s current needs.

### What will change in the Ministry of Defense’s work?

Khmara’s appointment does not imply a shift in the ministry’s strategic goals. His task is to continue working on the same challenges but with enhanced oversight of security matters and improved coordination among law enforcement agencies. This is especially important amid the ongoing military conflict and the need for rapid response to threats.

The decision to replace the leadership of the Ministry of Defense has become one of the key events in Ukrainian politics in recent weeks. It reflects the authorities’ efforts to optimize management of the defense sector and strengthen cooperation between civilian and military leadership.