August 18 – An Important Day for Ukrainian Parliamentarism and the Political System

August 18 is one of the most important days in Ukraine’s political life in 2026. On this day, parliament must take responsibility and vote (or not vote) on the most important position in the government – the defense minister. As of today, it is unknown whose candidacy President Zelensky (and the defense minister, according to the Constitution, is the president’s prerogative when forming the government) will propose to parliament.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. This is the biggest intrigue. And the most important one, because it is the defense minister who, during the war, controls a huge defense budget, which, in essence, is the budget of all of Ukraine – more than $100 billion. As well as part of international aid. Ukraine has had no defense minister since July – when President Zelensky, in order to remove Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, whose reforms were disliked by the army and rear-echelon bureaucracy that had become accustomed to quietly and without excessive oversight spending enormous wartime budgets under conditions of secrecy, reshuffled the entire government of Yulia Svyrydenko. The scandal, which sparked mass protests that are still continuing, became a turning point that not only outraged Ukrainian society but also brought people out into mass rallies, with the central theme being dissatisfaction with the government’s opaque and unaccountable policies. The scandal was so serious that Interior Minister Klymenko, who was planned to be appointed in Fedorov’s place, refused. Other Topics of Interest Over 1,550 Drones, 62 Missiles Target Ukraine in One Week Russia launched over 1,550 attack drones, nearly 1,560 aerial bombs, and 62 missiles at Ukraine within a single week, President Volodymyr Zelensky reported. The authorities quickly found someone to fill the vacancy – acting defense minister became a well-known special forces officer, head of the Security Service of Ukraine, General Yevhen Khmara. And here there are two problems. First, Khmara is a combat general. A brilliant author of Operation Spider’s Web, during which one-third of Russia’s strategic aviation was destroyed. But he has no experience managing a large bureaucratic apparatus, where many functions are typically related to the rear. The second reason is that General Khmara is an active-duty military officer. And the Constitution requires the Ministry of Defense to be headed by a civilian. Has Khmara left the army as of now? This is unknown. Or perhaps some other candidate will be proposed for the position? But if it is not Fedorov’s return, this will only fuel the protests, which have already been inflamed by another questionable appointment by Volodymyr Zelensky – former Defense Minister and National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov was appointed head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, although he is not an intelligence officer. And, frankly speaking, Fedorov’s return would hardly restore trust in the government. Especially after more than a month of ignoring public opinion on the matter. Sergii Kostezh is a Kyiv Post Special Correspondent. He has worked for various Ukrainian TV channels as a reporter from the field and war zone.