Parliament votes through Yevhen Khmara to succeed Fedorov as defense minister
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The parliament voted to approve President Volodymyr Zelensky's defense minister pick, former top Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officer Yevhen Khmara, on Aug. 19.
Zelensky had already appointed Khmara as acting defense minister on July 16 after firing Mykhailo Fedorov the previous day. On the morning of Aug 19, Khmara was approved unanimously by the parliament's defense committee.
In the final parliament vote, Khmara's nomination was confirmed by 312 lawmakers. A total of 226 votes were required for the appointment.
The outcome effectively ends any hopes that Fedorov could return to his post as defense minister. Fedorov had demanded to return to the position since he was ousted, ruling out taking on any other job.
Reinstating him as defense minister has also been the main demand of protestors over the last month, with a group of demonstrators gathering in front of parliament to protest against the vote.
Khmara is an SBU veteran who previously commanded the agency's Alpha Special Operations Center, overseeing Ukraine's campaign of long-range drone strikes against Russia.
He also led the operation to liberate Snake Island in 2022 and was appointed as the acting head of the agency in January 2026 after Vasyl Maliuk stepped down.
Zelensky previously said that Khmara had gained "extensive and, in many ways, unprecedented experience" in conducting technological strike operations, adding that Ukraine's defense should focus on developing long-range capabilities, a key area that Fedorov pushed during his tenure.
Khmara has held the rank of major general and has never served in government before his appointment as acting minister.
What the confirmation of Khmara as defense minister means for the future of the pro-Fedorov protest movement remains unclear.
