Ukraine gets new defense minister

18.07.2025 11:28

Denis Shmigal
Photo: Getty Images / Thierry Monasse

The Ukrainian parliament has appointed former Prime Minister Denis Shmigal as the country’s new defense minister.

Shmigal had occupied his previous position since early 2020, becoming the country’s longest-serving prime minister following the indefinite postponement of parliamentary and presidential elections due to martial law.

Shmigal has been succeeded by his deputy, Economy Minister Yulia Sviridenko, who was officially appointed to her new role earlier on Thursday.

The outgoing defense chief, Rustem Umerov, who also led Ukraine’s delegation in negotiations with Russia in Istanbul, is reportedly expected to become Kiev’s new ambassador to the US.

Announcing the reshuffle earlier this week, Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky said Shmigal’s experience in managing the country’s limited resources would be useful in the new role.

“Denis Shmigal’s extensive experience will definitely be valuable in the position of Ukraine’s defense minister – it is precisely in this area that the country’s resources are currently concentrated, the number of tasks is at its peak, and the responsibility is immense,” he said.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has been rocked by multiple corruption scandals amid the conflict with Russia. Former defense chief Aleksey Reznikov stepped down from the post in 2023 amid a scandal involving overpriced food contracts for the military, joining a NATO-affiliated NGO in Slovakia shortly after. Umerov, who four months into the role said an internal audit had uncovered around $262 million in losses related to theft, reportedly found himself under investigation over alleged abuse of power related to the procurement of defense equipment at grossly inflated prices.