Ukraine's defence minister makes personnel changes at Defence Ministry

Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umierov has made a series of personnel changes within the ministry: he promoted Serhii Boiev to First Deputy Minister, appointed two new deputy ministers, and dismissed Brigadier General of Justice Serhii Melnyk.

Source: Umierov on Facebook

Quote: "In response to the challenges posed by the full-scale war, we continue implementing strategic steps to strengthen Ukraine’s defence capabilities. One such step is reinforcing the leadership team at the Ministry of Defence. Today, I made several key appointments aimed at ensuring greater efficiency and agility in the work of the Defence Ministry, as well as creating conditions for deeper integration with international partners."

Details: Umierov reported that the Cabinet of Ministers appointed the following individuals on 29 April.

Serhii Boiev was appointed First Deputy Minister of Defence. He previously served as deputy minister for international cooperation and partnerships. 

Boiev will now coordinate all areas of the deputy ministers’ work to ensure a unified approach – from current frontline needs to the future structure of Ukrainian forces.

Lieutenant General Mykola Shevtsov was appointed Deputy Minister of Defence for Logistics and Procurement.

Umierov stated that Shevtsov, together with the Defence Procurement Agency and the State Operator for Non-Lethal Acquisition, will work on reducing the time required to supply the service members, simplifying bureaucratic procedures as much as possible and digitising processes. A key task will be maintaining constant feedback from frontline troops to allow for swift adjustments to needs and faster delivery of supplies.

Oleksandr Kozenko was appointed Deputy Minister of Defence. Since November 2023, he had served as an adviser to the defence minister and was responsible for the development of state aviation.

In his new role, he will be responsible for developing aviation capabilities.

Umierov also reported that Serhii Melnyk had completed his tenure as deputy minister of defence.

It was noted that Melnyk "will continue his work in another area where his experience will be extremely valuable for further strengthening our country".

Background: In April, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk stepped down as Ukraine's First Deputy Minister of Defence at his own request.

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