Ukraine Names Yevhenii Khmara Defense Minister—He Says Russia Has “No Safe Zones”

Ukraine’s parliament appointed former acting Security Service of Ukraine chief Yevhenii Khmara as the country’s new defense minister, a decision confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on August 19.

“I am grateful to the MPs for supporting Andrii Sybiha for the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and Yevhenii Khmara for the position of Minister of Defense of Ukraine. The tasks for both ministers are absolutely clear: Ukraine needs more strength. And it will have it. Glory to Ukraine!” Zelenskyy wrote.

Khmara’s appointment was backed by 312 members of parliament.

Halyna Mykhailiuk, the president’s representative in the Verkhovna Rada, formally presented Khmara’s nomination to lawmakers, saying Zelenskyy currently viewed him as the best candidate to lead Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.

Opposition lawmakers voiced frustration that Zelenskyy did not appear in parliament personally to explain his choice.

Responding to a question about his eligibility for the post, which under Ukrainian law must be held by a civilian, Khmara said he had been discharged from military service under Article 26 of Ukraine’s law on military duty and military service, “in connection with organizational measures for senior officers.”

In his address to parliament, Khmara laid out his priorities as defense minister, including forcing Russia toward a just peace through military strength and the effective use of technology.

He pledged that “there will be more Ukrainian weapons, and their strikes will be more precise.”

Khmara then took the oath of office from the parliamentary rostrum.

He said Ukraine must seize the strategic initiative on land, at sea, in the air, and in the information domain, arguing that doing so will require a stronger military, continued development of human capital, and expansion of the country’s defense-industrial base.

“The enemy can only be forced into peace through the strength of our military, through our technological and symmetrical solutions. First and foremost, through the constant renewal and effective use of technology. We have erased distances. There are no longer any safe zones for facilities that fuel Russia’s war. For the first time in history, we are even carrying out strikes in Siberia,” Khmara said.

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War in Ukraine

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He identified Russia’s defense-industrial complex, military logistics, fuel infrastructure, and the broader economic base supporting the Russian war effort as Ukrainian targets.

Khmara said Ukraine must move quickly and build battlefield advantages through the ingenuity and professionalism of its commanders, better troop training, innovation, and modern weapons.

“We have three key priorities of equal importance: the front and strengthening the military, people, and the development of the defense industry,” Khmara said.

At the same time, protesters reacted negatively to Khmara’s appointment as the new Defense Minister and announced that the demonstrations would continue at Franko Square in Kyiv at 7:00 pm.

Previously, Battle-tested General Mykhailo Drapatyi has been appointed Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, succeeding Oleksandr Syrskyi, who had led the military since February 2024.

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