A man walks past Ukrainian flags and photographs placed in memory of civilians and soldiers killed during the conflict with Russia at the Independence Square in Kyiv on Tuesday. FRANCISCO SECO/AP
KYIV — Ukraine's parliament on Wednesday approved the appointment of Evgeniy Khmara as defense minister, a day after his predecessor, ousted defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, called for wartime elections and criticized the country's system of governance.
Khmara's appointment was backed by 312 lawmakers, with two voting against. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier appointed Khmara as acting defense minister after the ouster of Fedorov in July.
Khmara previously served as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine and headed the agency's Special Operations Center "A".
The Verkhovna Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, also approved the reappointment of Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister on Wednesday.
