--- title: "Yevhen Yarmak officially heads the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine: voting results and reform plans" description: "The Verkhovna Rada approved Yevhen Yarmak as Minister of Defense of Ukraine. 312 deputies supported the candidacy put forward by Zelenskyy. Yarmak intends to retain Fedorov's team and leave military service." date: 2026-08-19T10:46:04.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/yevhen-yarmak-minister-of-defense-of-ukraine-august-19-en tags: [ukraine, politics, ministry-of-defense, evgeniy-khmara, vladimir-zevensky, parliament] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Yevhen Yarmak officially heads the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine: voting results and reform plans ![Yevhen Hmara in military uniform with Ukrainian flag on sleeve, new Minister of Defense of Ukraine](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/19/evgeniy-khmara-minister-oborony-ukrainy-19-avgusta/evgeniy-khmara-minister-oborony-ukrainy-19-avgusta-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The Verkhovna Rada approved Yevhen Yarmak as Minister of Defense of Ukraine on August 19, 2026. - 312 deputies voted for the candidacy, which became the result of personnel changes. - Yarmak intends to retain key employees of the previous minister's team. - The appointment was accompanied by protests by supporters of Mykhailo Fedorov. ### 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. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [From General to Civilian. How Yarmak became Minister of Defense](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/generala-tsivilnogo-k-hmara-stav-ministrom-1787136142.html) - Подтверждает дату назначения, количество голосов (312) и контекст смены правительства. - [Yevhen Yarmak heads the Ministry of Defense: The Verkhovna Rada voted for his appointment](https://tsn.ua/ru/ukrayina/evgeniy-hmara-vozglavil-minoborony-verhovnaya-rada-progolosovala-za-ego-naznachenie-3151526.html) - Подтверждает факт голосования и утверждения кандидатуры. - [Yarmak wants to retain the core of the Ministry of Defense team, - Media](https://24tv.ua/ru/hmara-hochet-sohranit-komandu-fedorova-chto-izvestno-o-ego-planah_n3126197) - Подтверждает планы Хмары по сохранению команды и реформе закупок. - [The new Minister of Defense of Ukraine wants to 'force' Russia to peace](https://news.rambler.ru/world/56930673-novyy-ministr-oborony-ukrainy-zahotel-prinudit-rossiyu-k-miru/) - Подтверждено по источнику news.rambler.ru ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: How many deputies voted for Yevhen Yarmak? **A:** 312 People's Deputies voted for the appointment of Yevhen Yarmak as Minister of Defense. ### Q: Who was the Minister of Defense before Yarmak? **A:** Before Yarmak's appointment, the Minister of Defense was Mykhailo Fedorov, who was sent to resign in mid-July 2026. ### Q: Will Yarmak serve in the army after the appointment? **A:** No, according to the law, the Minister of Defense must be a civilian. Yarmak confirmed that he will be dismissed from military service.