Poklad to become acting head of Ukraine's Security Service – UP sources

First Deputy Head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) Oleksandr Poklad will become SSU acting head.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda's sources in Volodymyr Zelenskyy's team

Details: Earlier today President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that he would propose to parliament the appointment of Yevhen Khmara as defence minister. Khmara, who is currently holding the role of SSU acting head, will carry out the duties of Ukraine's defence minister on the president's instruction.

Background:

• On 16 July, ex-defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the president had not agreed to replace Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi. He said that all proposals and initiatives from the Ministry of Defence on improving the military's performance met with resistance.
• Zelenskyy, commenting on the upcoming changes at the Ministry of Defence, acknowledged that Fedorov and Syrskyi had been unable to find common ground, and that problems on the battlefield, in brigades and with mobilisation had remained unresolved.
• Protests in support of Fedorov are taking place near the President's Office in Kyiv and a number of other cities across Ukraine. Participants called on the authorities to return Fedorov to his post in the new government and not to give the seat of defence minister to Ihor Klymenko.

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