Ukrainian president moves to replace defense minister

Alsharq Tribune-Ahmed Essam 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday that First Deputy Prime Minister Mykhailo Fedorov will become the new defense minister, replacing Denys Shmyhal.

"I have decided to change the format of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's work. I proposed Mykhailo Fedorov to become the new defense minister of Ukraine," Zelensky said in his evening address.

He noted that Fedorov is deeply involved in drone-related issues and has been working very effectively on the digitalization of government services and processes.

"Together with all our military personnel, the military command, national weapons manufacturers and partners of Ukraine, we must implement changes in the defense sector that will help," Zelensky said.

Earlier in the day, Zelensky appointed Kyrylo Budanov, chief of defense intelligence, as the new head of the presidential office. Oleh Ivashchenko replaced Budanov as the new chief of defense intelligence.