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The Ukrainian parliament voted to approve President Volodymyr Zelensky's defense minister pick, former top Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officer Yevhen Khmara, on Aug. 19, The Kyiv Independent reported.
Zelensky had already appointed Khmara as acting defense minister on July 16 after firing Mykhailo Fedorov the previous day. On the morning of Aug 19, Khmara was approved unanimously by the parliament's defense committee.
In the final parliament vote, Khmara's nomination was confirmed by 312 lawmakers. A total of 226 votes were required for the appointment.
Khmara is an SBU veteran who previously commanded the agency's Alpha Special Operations Center, overseeing Ukraine's campaign of long-range drone strikes against Russia.
Khmara has held the rank of major general and has never served in government before his appointment as acting minister.