Zelenskyy: Today I’ve already signed documents to Verkhovna Rada on Shmyhal as new minister of defense
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed documents proposing to the Verkhovna Rada to appoint former Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal as head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
"Today I have already signed documents to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on Denys Shmyhal as the new Minister of Defense. Strategic industries will also be managed through the Ministry of Defense," the president said in his evening address on Wednesday.
He also added that the Minister for Strategic Industries of Ukraine, Herman Smetanin, will head Ukroboronprom.
"The task is very specific, clear. Now Ukrainian weapons at the front, in all our operations - about 40%. This is already significantly more Ukrainian weapons production than ever before during the independence of our state. The volumes are really large. But more is needed. And we need more of our capabilities to push the war into the territory of Russia - to where the war was brought from. So that they feel what they have done and what the price of Putin's refusal to cease fire and real peace is," Zelenskyy emphasized.
"We must reach the level of 50% Ukrainian weapons in the first six months of the new government, increasing our own production. I am confident: this can be achieved," he added.