The Verkhovna Rada has appointed former Security Service of Ukraine Special Operations Center “A” commander Yevhenii Khmara as Ukraine’s minister of defence. His nomination received the support of 312 lawmakers.
The Verkhovna Rada announced the result of the vote.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked lawmakers for supporting Khmara and reappointing Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister. He said the main task for both ministers was to make Ukraine stronger.
“The tasks for both ministers are absolutely clear: Ukraine needs greater strength. And it will have it,” Zelenskyy said.
Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said the formation of the new government had been completed following the appointment of the defence and foreign ministers.
Khmara had served as acting defence minister for the previous month. According to Koretskyi, he ensured the ministry’s uninterrupted operation and preserved all key processes during the leadership transition.
Khmara succeeded Mykhailo Fedorov, who was dismissed in July 2026 during a government reshuffle.
Who is Yevhenii Khmara?
Yevhenii Khmara is a major general and career special forces officer. Before joining the Security Service of Ukraine, he served with the National Guard’s Omega special operations unit and specialized in explosives and mine warfare.
Khmara joined the SBU’s Special Operations Center “A,” commonly known as Alpha, in 2011. He began as a member of an assault team and later rose to command one of Ukraine’s most effective special operations units.
Following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Khmara participated in the defence and liberation of Kyiv Oblast. After the region was retaken, he conducted combat missions in Donetsk Oblast.
In 2022, he led the operation to liberate Snake Island. Restoring Ukrainian control over the island was of military and strategic significance, particularly for the situation in the Black Sea.
In April 2023, Zelenskyy appointed Khmara to lead the SBU’s counterterrorism special operations center. He was promoted to brigadier general in August of that year and to major general in June 2024.
Khmara became head of the reorganized SBU Special Operations Center “A” in August 2025. Under his command, the unit extensively used drones and other capabilities to destroy Russian military equipment and personnel.
Following Vasyl Maliuk’s resignation in January 2026, Khmara was appointed acting head of the SBU. He left the security service’s leadership in July, was appointed deputy defence minister and began serving as acting minister on July 20.
To receive a full appointment as defence minister, Khmara was required to leave military service because Ukrainian law stipulates that the ministry must be headed by a civilian. He agreed to meet this requirement ahead of the parliamentary vote.
