On the 1,638th Day of Full-Scale War, Zelensky Sets Priorities for Ukraine's New Defense Minister

Volodymyr Zelensky's Address

According to ХВИЛЯ: In his evening address marking day 1,638 of the full-scale invasion, President Volodymyr Zelensky laid out fresh objectives for Ukraine's newly appointed Defense Minister Yevhen Khmara, announced a successful prisoner exchange, and promised new sanctions. He also spoke about Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, including Kherson and Zhytomyr. The comments come amid continued Russian aerial attacks and a broader reshuffle of Ukraine's defense and diplomatic leadership.

Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, approved Khmara as Defense Minister and Andrii Sybiha as Foreign Minister. Zelensky said the top priority for the new defense chief is to get the country's defense system, military production, procurement, and frontline supply chains working effectively.

“My main task for Ukraine's Defense Minister in these conditions is to truly tune the entire defense system, the production and procurement systems, and the flow of supplies to the troops” - Volodymyr Zelensky

The president confirmed that 103 Ukrainians were freed from Russian captivity in an exchange. “Today's exchange brought back another 103 people from Russian captivity - our soldiers. It is not easy, but we keep pushing so that swaps continue. The next round of exchanges is being prepared,” he said.

Zelensky also signaled fresh punitive measures. “We are preparing serious sanctions for tomorrow,” he said. He condemned the latest Russian attacks, which caused civilian casualties and damage:

• In the morning, a drone struck a minibus in Kherson, killing 4 people.
• In Zhytomyr, Russian forces hit a police administration building, leaving nearly 30 wounded and 2 dead.

“It was absolutely clear that this was an ordinary minibus, civilian transport. Yet the Russians still targeted it,” the president said.

Additional strikes were reported in the Zaporizhzhia, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. Zelensky emphasized that Khmara, who previously served in the SBU's Alpha special unit, “has proven that he does not waste words and knows that occupiers are not beaten with empty promises.” The president also noted that Khmara is already working with Colonel General Mykhailo Drapatyi, and said he had signed a decree granting the title Hero of Ukraine to Junior Lieutenant Vladyslav Polskyi, who on August 15 used a pickup truck to evacuate two wounded soldiers from a Russian drone strike zone.

Support for Families with Children with Disabilities

In a separate development, the Verkhovna Rada passed a law broadening support for families raising children with disabilities. Zelensky is demanding that the government allocate funding for this assistance in the state budget.

The appointments of Khmara and Sybiha underline a continuing effort to reshape key state institutions in order to strengthen Ukraine's defense capacity during the ongoing war. The latest prisoner exchange and the promised sanctions highlight the government's active approach to protecting its citizens and resisting Russian aggression. Meanwhile, the deadly strikes on Kherson and Zhytomyr serve as a stark reminder of the urgent challenges facing the state as it responds to daily attacks.

Following the recent appointment of Yevhen Khmara as Defense Minister by the Verkhovna Rada, it is crucial to understand the implications of this leadership change for Ukraine's defense strategy. As President Zelensky outlined new priorities, the effectiveness of the defense system and military logistics will be paramount in the ongoing conflict.