Yevhenii Khmara

Evgeniy Khmara
Євгеній Хмара
Khmara in 2026
Minister of Defence
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 July 2026[a]
PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy
Preceded byMykhailo Fedorov
Acting Head of the Security Service of Ukraine
In office
5 January 2026 – 16 July 2026
PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy
Preceded byVasyl Malyuk
Succeeded byOleksandr Poklad
Military service
Allegiance Ukraine
Branch/serviceSecurity Service of Ukraine
RankMajor general
Battles/warsRusso-Ukrainian War

Evgeniy Leonidovych Khmara[1][2] (Ukrainian: Євгеній Леонідович Хмара) is a Ukrainian major general who has been the Minister of Defence of Ukraine since 20 July 2026[b] in an acting capacity, and was formally appointed to the position on 19 August. He was appointed following the controversial dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov.[3]

Career

In April 2023, Khmara was appointed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as head of the SBU unit responsible for special operations, counterterrorism activities, and the protection of participants in criminal proceedings and law enforcement officials.[4]

Following legislative reforms restructuring the SBU's special operations forces, Khmara was reappointed on 25 August 2025 as head of the reorganized and renamed Center for Special Operations "A" or Alpha Group.[5] The unit conducts counterterrorism and other special missions as part of Ukraine's national security framework.[6]

On 5 January 2026, President Zelenskyy appointed Khmara as the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), entrusting him with leadership of the agency during the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War.[7] He succeeded Vasyl Malyuk.

On 16 July 2026, Zelenskyy appointed Khmara as the acting Ukrainian Minister of Defence. His appointment took effect from 20 July. It was a move that came after the controversial dismissal of Mykhailo Fedorov during a government reshuffle.[8]

On 18 August 2026, Zelenskyy formally nominated Khmara as Minister of Defence, and the Verkhovna Rada confirmed this the next day.[9][10][11][12]

Operations

Khmara led the counteroffensive campaign in May and June of 2022 to recapture Snake Island.[13]

In June 2025, during his time as head of Alpha Group of SBU, the unit carried out Operation Spiderweb.[14]

Rank

On 23 June 2024, President Zelenskyy awarded Khmara the military rank of Major General. The promotion was reported by Ukrainian media as part of a broader decree conferring senior ranks within Ukraine's security and defense sector.[15] Khmara left military service in August 2026 to comply with the law requiring the Minister of Defence to be a civilian[16].

Notes

  1. ↑ Acting: 20 July – 19 August 2026
  2. ↑ The date that his appointment took effect, per the Order No. 723 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.

References

  1. ↑ "Про тимчасове покладення виконання обов'язків Міністра оборони України на Хмару Є.Л." Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Кабінет Міністрів України - Хмара Євгеній Леонідович". KMU (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 27 July 2026.
  3. ↑ "Ukraine's parliament approves Yevhenii Khmara as new defence minister". Reuters. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
  4. ↑ Romanenko, Valentyna (14 April 2023). "Zelensky appoints new head of SBU special operations unit". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  5. ↑ Herasimova, Tetiana (25 August 2025). "Zelenskyy reappoints Khmara as head of SSU Special Operations Center "A"". Ukrainian News Agency. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  6. ↑ "Центр спеціальних операцій «А» СБУ". Ukraїner (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  7. ↑ Romanenko, Valentyna (5 January 2026). "Зеленський призначив нового в.о. голови СБУ" [Zelenskyy appointed a new acting head of Security Service of Ukraine]. Ukrainska Pravda (in Ukrainian).
  8. ↑ Wax, Eddy (16 July 2026). "Volodymyr Zelenskyy appoints new acting defense minister". Politico Europe. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "Ukraine parliament appoints Yevhenii Khmara defense minister with 312 votes". The New Voice of Ukraine. 19 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Dmytriieva, Daria (19 August 2026). "Ukraine's parliament approves new defense minister Yevhenii Khmara". RBC-Ukraine. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "Ukraine's parliament approves Yevhenii Khmara as new defence minister". Reuters. 19 August 2026. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  12. ↑ Romanenko, Valentyna (19 August 2026). "Ukrainian parliament appoints Khmara as defence minister". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
  13. ↑ Wax, Eddy (16 July 2026). "Volodymyr Zelenskyy appoints new acting defense minister". Politico Europe. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  14. ↑ Shvets, Yuliya (16 July 2026). "Who Is Yevhen Khmara? Ukraine's Defense Minister Pick Is A Decorated Officer With A Reputation For Results". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "President awards rank of major general to head of SBU Special Operations Center "A"". Ukrainian National News. 23 June 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2026.
  16. ↑ "From general to civilian: Khmara agrees to leave military service to head Defence Ministry". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 24 August 2026.
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