New defence minister nominee may face team gap as former minister Fedorov allies prepare to leave – Ukrainska Pravda

Ukrainska Pravda has learned that after Yevhenii Khmara is appointed defence minister, some members of the team of his predecessor Mykhailo Fedorov may leave the ministry and join him on other projects, meaning the new minister will have to build his own team.

Source: Ukrainska Pravda article "A general in a civilian post: how Khmara may head Defence Ministry after Fedorov and what trick is being prepared for this" (translation coming soon)

Details: Ukrainska Pravda sources in Ukraine's Ministry of Defence said that after the appointment of a new minister, some members of Fedorov's team plan to leave the ministry and join the former head of the ministry in his next projects.

An Ukrainska Pravda source from Fedorov's team believes this could create a staffing problem for Khmara. The source said the new minister does not have his own team or candidates for some senior positions.

Quote from the UP source in Fedorov's team: "So the question now is how Khmara will move forward, given that he will not have a team and has no one to appoint to top positions. Even for the directorates, I don't think he has candidates... For Khmara, the best thing Mykhailo could leave behind would be the current deputy ministers and key managers."

Background:

• On 12 July, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the Cabinet of Ministers needed to be reshuffled and announced changes among the heads of law enforcement agencies. On 14 July, the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) approved the resignation of Yuliia Svyrydenko as prime minister. The decision meant the resignation of the entire government.
• Public discontent has grown over what many regard as the unjustified dismissal of Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov. Since 16 July, protests have been held in cities across Ukraine: protesters have been calling for him to be reinstated.
• Zelenskyy has offered Fedorov a number of other posts, which he turned down, saying he wants to focus his efforts on continuing the reform of the Ministry of Defence.
• The Ukrainian president has temporarily put Yevhenii Khmara in charge of the Ministry of Defence. After Vasyl Maliuk's resignation, Khmara had served as acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine. Zelenskyy then submitted motions to parliament to appoint Yevhenii Khmara as defence minister and Andrii Sybiha as foreign minister.
• On 18 August, Zelenskyy submitted a nomination to parliament for Yevhenii Khmara to be appointed defence minister and Andrii Sybiha to be appointed foreign minister.

Subscribe on Patreon to back our journalism long-term.