Official Appointment: The Verkhovna Rada Approved Yarmak's Candidacy
On August 19, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine officially approved Yevhen Yarmak for the post of Minister of Defense. 312 People's Deputies voted in favor of the corresponding proposal by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. This decision marked the logical conclusion of a process that began in mid-July, when Yarmak was appointed Acting Head of the Department by presidential decree. Now, having received the mandate of parliament, he begins full-fledged leadership of the country's defense sector amid the ongoing military conflict.
Political Context and Personnel Change
The appointment of Yarmak occurred against the backdrop of a massive government restructuring initiated by the President. In mid-July, the resignation of Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko led to the automatic resignation of the entire Cabinet of Ministers, including Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Although in such situations, some ministers often retain their posts, Zelenskyy decided not to submit Fedorov's candidacy for re-approval. Instead, Yarmak was temporarily appointed as Acting Head, who previously held the post of Acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine.
The decision to change the Minister of Defense caused a wide public resonance. The dismissal of Fedorov provoked a series of protest actions in Kyiv and other cities, participants of whom demanded his return and the resignation of the then Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. The President satisfied the demand for a change of command, appointing Mykhailo Drapaty to the post of Commander-in-Chief, however, Fedorov refused the alternative positions offered to him.
Work Strategy: Retaining the Team and Civilian Status
During the preparation for the vote, Yevhen Yarmak held a number of meetings with parliamentary factions, where the department's work plan was discussed. According to sources, the new minister intends to retain the core of the team formed under Fedorov. Special attention will be paid to specialists responsible for procurement reform, as this process is critical for obtaining European financial assistance. Also on the agenda of meetings with 'Servant of the People' MPs were issues of interaction with the new Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapaty.
An important aspect of the appointment is compliance with legislative norms: according to the law, the Ministry of Defense must be headed by a civilian. Yarmak confirmed that after approval, he will be dismissed from military service to fully meet the requirements for the status of the minister.
Contradictory Data
Around the appointment of Yevhen Yarmak, contradictory assessments and public sentiments remain. On the one hand, the official position of the authorities and the majority in parliament (312 votes) indicates trust in the candidate and support for the course of updating the team. On the other hand, former Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, in his video address recorded the day before the vote, stated the existence of a "systemic management crisis" and corruption, calling for ways to hold elections even during wartime.
These statements found an echo among part of society: in the morning of August 19, a rally was held near Mariinsky Park, participants of whom demanded not to appoint Yarmak and return Fedorov to the post. Thus, despite the successful vote in the Rada, the question of the legitimacy of personnel decisions and the effectiveness of the management of the Ministry of Defense remains a subject of sharp public discussion.
