The Verkhovna Rada has approved the appointment of former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as defence minister. The decision was made by 267 MPs during a plenary session.
Shmyhal replaces Rustem Umerov in this position.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy previously stated that he sees Shmyhal as the head of the Ministry of Defence due to his management experience, which, in his opinion, will be effective in the field of defence.
Among the main tasks of the new minister, Zelensky highlighted increasing the share of Ukrainian weapons on the front lines. Currently, it is about 40%, but in six months, Shmyhal’s government must ensure its growth to 50%.