Zelenskyy nominates Shmyhal as defence chief, aims to double Ukraine’s arms output

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has nominated former prime minister Denys Shmyhal as Ukraine’s new defence minister, pledging to increase domestic arms production to cover half of frontline needs.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Wednesday that he has formally submitted the nomination of former prime minister Denys Shmyhal to serve as the country’s next defence minister. The move comes amid a broader government reshuffle and Zelenskyy’s push to expand Ukraine’s military production capabilities.

Earlier in the day, Ukraine’s parliament accepted the resignation of Shmyhal and his entire cabinet. Zelenskyy has proposed current Economy Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko to take over as head of the government.

In his statement, Zelenskyy said the Ministry of Defence would now oversee strategic industries, marking a shift in how Ukraine coordinates its military and industrial sectors. Herman Smetanin has been selected to lead the state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom.

Currently, about 40 percent of Ukraine’s military equipment is produced domestically. Zelenskyy outlined a target of raising that figure to 50 percent within six months under the new government.

He stressed that boosting local arms output is critical not only to sustain the country’s war effort, but also to expand military operations deeper into Russian territory. Such an approach, he argued, would increase the cost of war for Russia and pressure President Vladimir Putin to engage more seriously in ceasefire discussions.

Zelenskyy expressed confidence in the restructuring, saying it would strengthen Ukraine’s long-term security posture and improve its capacity to resist Russian aggression through self-reliance and innovation in defence production.

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