Ukraine MPs approve Yevgeniy Khmara as defence minister

Ukraine's parliament approved Yevgeniy Khmara as defence minister on Wednesday, a month after a reshuffle that caused public backlash over the dismissal of his predecessor Mykhailo Fedorov.

Lawmakers voted 312 in favour of Khmara's appointment and two against. President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the vote, saying on social media: “Ukraine needs more strength. And it will have it.”

Khmara, a career intelligence official, had been named by Zelensky to head the ministry after Fedorov was removed and after the appointment of a new commander-in-chief during a public row between the army and the defence ministry.

Addressing parliament before the vote, Khmara vowed to do everything to defend Ukraine, reduce Russia's war potential as much as possible and force the enemy into what he called a just peace.

Opposition lawmaker Solomiya Bobrovska, from parliament's defence committee, said moving Khmara from the security service to the defence ministry was a mistake, but described him as strong as a person and as a military figure.

Khmara rose through the ranks of the Security Service of Ukraine. His official biography says he has been involved in fighting Russian forces since 2014 and headed the SBU's Special Operations Center “A” from 2023.