Ukraine appoints acting defence minister Yevhen Khmara in sweeping cabinet reshuffle

Ukraine’s parliament approved a new government on July 16, 2026, appointing former SBU chief Yevhen Khmara as acting defence minister after the dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov. The same decree named Andrii Sybih as acting foreign minister and Oleksandr Poklad as interim head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

Serhiy Koretskyi, the former head of state-owned Naftogaz, was confirmed as the new prime minister, succeeding Yulia Svyrydenko. The reshuffle also reorganised ministries, creating new portfolios for agriculture, displaced persons and separating economic, environmental and infrastructure functions.

Fedorov’s removal sparked protests in Kyiv and other cities, with demonstrators demanding his reinstatement and questioning the legal basis of the changes, as the president’s decree conflicted with the cabinet’s authority to appoint acting ministers. The government stresses that the appointments ensure continuity of defence and foreign policy during the ongoing war with Russia.