Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has appointed acting director of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) Yevgen Khmara to temporarily head the Ukrainian Defense Ministry until his official approval by parliament as the holder of the post, UNIAN reported, quoted by BTA.
Zelensky announced this on his Telegram channel, noting that he and Khmara discussed conducting long-range weapons operations against Russia, as well as providing the necessary equipment for Ukraine's armed forces.
"I have assigned Yevgen Khmara to act as minister, to continue defense reforms, and to ensure for Ukraine all the results we talked about. "After all legal procedures are completed, I will propose to the deputies to approve the candidacy of Yevgen Khmara for the position of Minister of Defense of Ukraine," the Ukrainian president said.
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is expected to convene its next plenary session after the parliamentary recess on August 18, Ukrinform news agency reported.
The earliest then is when Yevgen Khmara's candidacy could be submitted for approval to the Verkhovna Rada.
Protests have erupted in Ukraine over the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, and the dispute between the reformist politician and the commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian army, General Oleksandr Syrsky, came to light during the second major government reshuffle of the year, Reuters reported.
Demonstrations were held in Kiev and other cities in Ukraine, including Dnipro (Dnipro) and Odessa.
The political A storm is brewing in Kiev amid relentless Russian airstrikes, the Associated Press notes. The personnel changes could become a test of Zelensky's power as Ukraine struggles nearly four and a half years against a full-scale Russian invasion, the American news agency predicts.