Zelenskyy appoints new defense minister, refuses to reinstate Fedorov

Published Jul 28, 05:54 PM UTC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has decided not to reinstate dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, according to Ukrainian news agency RBK-Ukraine. Instead, Yevhen Khmara, former head of the SBU domestic intelligence service and interim defense minister, will permanently take over the post. The decision comes amid ongoing protests that began on July 16 after Fedorov's dismissal as part of a government reshuffle. Fedorov, 35, who served only since January, is popular for his military competence. Protests initially demanded his reinstatement and later also called for the dismissal of Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, which Zelenskyy granted. However, he refuses to bring back Fedorov. A new protest march is planned for Friday in Kyiv. A poll shows Fedorov's presidential election support rose from 2-3% to 13.4% after the reshuffle, though sources say he has no intention of entering politics.

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