Yevhen Hmara, whose appointment was approved by parliament on Wednesday, promised intensified attacks on Russian military and economic capabilities and more precise strikes with Ukrainian-made weapons.
Ukraine's parliament on Wednesday approved the appointment of a new defense minister, who immediately sent a clear message to Moscow. According to Kurir, Yevhen Hmara promised to intensify attacks on Russian military and economic capabilities, stating that facilities contributing to the war effort no longer have "any safe zones".
Hmara emphasized on social media that Ukraine, "for the first time in history", is capable of striking targets as far away as Siberia. He prioritized medium- and long-range strikes, citing the operation in Novorossiysk and other recent actions.
The new defense minister outlined three main goals for his tenure: regaining the initiative on the battlefield, improving protection and conditions for Ukrainian soldiers, and increasing defense industry production. "There will be more Ukrainian-made weapons. Strikes will be more precise", he said.
He also called for accelerating and simplifying the supply of weapons to combat units. He added that Kyiv continues to work with allies to strengthen defense against Russian ballistic missiles.
Hmara claimed that the Ukrainian side is well aware of Moscow's next moves. "We know Russia's next steps, its mobilization plans, and its strategy for autumn and winter", he said on social media.
He added that Ukraine will do "everything possible" to reduce Moscow's ability to continue the war and force it to accept a "just peace". Kurir notes that two versions of his name, Yevhen and Yevgeny Hmara, appear in texts about the new minister, reflecting different transliterations from Ukrainian and Russian scripts.
The news has no direct connection to Croatia, but the security situation in Europe will continue to be closely monitored in Zagreb as well, given its indirect impact on the stability of the entire region.
