Stepan Poltorak Appointed Ukraine Defense Minister

Ukraine‘s Parliament has approved Stepan Poltorak to take over the Defense Ministry from Valeriy Heletey.

The Verkhovna Rada voted overwhelmingly (245-1) in favor of his candidacy, Interfax Ukraine reports.

Poltorak previously headed the Ukrainian National Guard.

Heletey came under fire in Ukraine after the army suffered numerous defeats by pro-Russian rebels in the Donbass region.