Khmara takes charge of Defense Ministry on July 20 – Cabinet’s order
On July 20, the government appointed Yevhen Khmara as acting Minister of Defense of Ukraine. On July 17, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy relieved him of his duties as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and as head of the SBU's Special Operations Center "A."
The corresponding Cabinet of Ministers order No. 723, dated July 17, was published on the governmental portal.
Previously, by order No. 722, the Cabinet of Ministers appointed Khmara as Deputy Minister of Defense.
As reported, on July 16, the Verkhovna Rada voted for a new government, but the ministers of defense and foreign affairs were not appointed. The president did not nominate any candidates for these positions, but announced that Khmara would be acting minister of defense.
"He led the SBU's Alpha Special Operations Center, which was the most effective in eliminating occupiers on the front lines... Khmara was responsible for the Security Service of Ukraine's long-range operations. We agreed that Khmara would also oversee the Security Forces' long-range operations—this is a priority," Zelenskyy said in an evening address on July 16.
In the same manner, the Cabinet of Ministers appointed acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha, who headed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the previous government: by one order on July 17, he was appointed the First Deputy Minister, and by the next, the Acting Minister.