The outgoing defense chief, Rustem Umerov, will reportedly serve as ambassador to the US
Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has named the country’s longest-serving prime minister, Denis Shmigal, as the next minister of defense, as part of a sweeping government reshuffle expected to be finalized by parliament this week.
Shmigal, 49, has served as prime minister since 2020, navigating the Kiev government through the Covid-19 pandemic and the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022. In a video address on Monday evening, Zelensky praised Shmigal’s experience in managing the country’s limited resources, saying it would be valuable in his 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,” Zelensky said.
Zelensky has also proposed Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Yulia Sviridenko as Shmigal’s replacement as prime minister. Sviridenko, 39, who gained prominence for brokering a deal that granted the US preferential access to Ukrainian mineral resources, has said she will soon present her proposed cabinet and government action plan.
The reshuffle will require parliamentary approval once Shmigal formally submits his resignation. A vote on dismissing the current cabinet is reportedly expected as early as July 16.
Outgoing defense minister Rustem Umerov, who also led Kiev’s delegation in negotiations with Russia in Istanbul, is the main candidate to become Ukraine’s new ambassador to the United States, according to Zelensky.
“We need a person to be strong and to be in the context of the most important thing, in the context of strengthening Ukraine – through weapons, first of all,” Zelensky said after meeting with Umerov over the weekend.
Ukraine’s Defense Ministry has faced multiple corruption scandals in recent years, with former defense chief Aleksey Reznikov stepping down in 2023 amid a scandal involving overpriced food contracts for the military. Four months later, his successor, Umerov, stated that an internal ministry audit had uncovered approximately $262 million in losses related to theft. Umerov himself was also reportedly under investigation by anti-corruption authorities for alleged abuse of power in connection with defense procurement.
