Evgeniy Khmara
Evgeniy Leonidovych Khmara is a combat officer with 20 years of experience serving in special operations units.
He received his higher education at specialised educational institutions within Ukraine’s security and defence sector and has undergone training at foreign educational institutions on numerous occasions.
In 2006, he began his service in the Omega Special Operations Unit. Since 2011, he served in the SSU’s Alpha special operations unit.
Following the start of russian aggression in 2014, he carried out combat missions in the Donetsk region. After the full-scale invasion, he participated in the liberation of the Kyiv region from russian occupiers. He subsequently carried out combat missions in eastern Ukraine.
Since 2023, he has headed the SSU’s Special Operations Centre A. The unit has consistently ranked among the top three most effective units of the Defence Forces in terms of destroying enemy equipment and personnel.
On August 24, 2023, Evgeniy Khmara was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General, and on June 23, 2024, to Major General.
Since January 5, 2026, he has served as Acting Head of the SSU.
By order of the President of Ukraine, since July 20, 2026, Evgeniy Khmara has served as Acting Minister of Defence of Ukraine.
On August 19, 2026, the Verkhovna Rada supported Evgeniy Khmara’s candidacy for the position of Minister of Defence of Ukraine.