Following Mykhailo Fedorov's removal, Zelenskyy announced he had appointed Yevgeniy Khmara, head of Ukraine's SBU security service, as acting defence minister
Ukraine’s ousted defence minister directed stunning public criticism at the army’s top commander on Thursday, forcing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to call for unity amid signs of an emerging split in the military’s top ranks.
Large protests erupted in several Ukrainian cities against the removal of popular defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who had been brought in six months ago to digitise and modernise an army fatigued after four years fighting off the Russian invasion.
Following Fedorov’s removal, Zelenskyy announced Thursday he had appointed Yevgeniy Khmara – head of Ukraine’s SBU security service – as acting defence minister.
“Khmara has gained extensive and, in many respects, unprecedented experience with technological combat operations,” Zelenskyy said in a Facebook post.
