Zelensky says he appoints acting SBU chief Yevhen Khmara acting defense minister

President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 16 said he had appointed acting Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) chief Yevhen Khmara as acting defense minister.

The move comes after widespread public outrage over the dismissal of Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov the previous day.

"Once the necessary legal procedures are completed, I will ask lawmakers to support Yevhen Khmara's appointment as defense minister," Zelensky added.

Khmara previously led the agency's Alpha Special Operations Center, which has played a key role in Ukraine's long-range strike campaign against Russia. He has largely stayed out of the public eye.

Zelensky said he had discussed Ukraine's long-range strike campaign against Russia and support for the country's security and defense forces with Khmara.

The president said 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, one of the key areas Fedorov pushed during his tenure.

Khmara is known for leading the operation to liberate Snake Island. In January, Zelensky appointed him acting head of the SBU after Vasyl Maliuk stepped down to focus on operations against Russia.

Lawmakers previously told the Kyiv Independent that Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko had been tapped to replace Fedorov.

Under the succession rules, Khmara's senior deputy, Oleksandr Poklad, is expected to become acting head of the SBU after Khmara's appointment to the Defense Ministry.

Poklad has a controversial reputation.

The Anti-Corruption Action Center and other activists have accused Poklad of fabricating political cases and leading the attack on the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) in 2025.

The Kyiv Independent has requested comment from the SBU and will publish its response once it is received.