On 25 March 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine appointed Mstyslav Banik as Deputy Minister of Defence and Yurii Myronenko as Inspector General of the Ministry of Defence.
These personnel decisions indicate the Ministry’s shift toward a risk-based approach, says NAKO researcher Oleksandr Veherzhynskyi. “A key feature of the new appointments is the high level of trust and shared experience in the Ministry of Digital Transformation. Mykhailo Fedorov is betting on proven managers who have already demonstrated their ability to digitalise even the most conservative sectors of the state,” he notes.
According to Veherzhynskyi, Minister of Defence Mykhailo Fedorov is building a management vertical in which:
- needs are defined based on the concept of the “mathematics of war”;
- procurement is conducted through transparent digital tools;
- the efficiency of weapons and military equipment use is monitored by experienced professionals.
As Deputy Minister of Defence, Mstyslav Banik will be responsible for procurement reform. Since 2025, he has served as Head of Digital Products at the Ministry of Defence, where he led the development of the Army+ and Reserve+ applications. In 2024, he volunteered for the assault regiment CODE 9.2, where he helped establish an FPV drone unit and took part in the Kursk operation. In 2019, he joined the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, contributing to the launch and development of the Diia public services portal.
As Inspector General, Yurii Myronenko will analyse how adopted decisions work in practice and propose possible adjustments. “In essence, this is an independent auditor and controller who will capture the real state of affairs in the Defence Forces,” the NAKO researcher explains.
Previously, Myronenko served as Deputy Minister of Defence responsible for innovation for the frontline. In particular, he contributed to improving the DELTA situational awareness system and implementing the Mission Control module, which enables mission planning for UAV crews. In 2024–2025, he was Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation. In 2023–2024, he headed the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine.
At the beginning of 2026, Minister of Defence Fedorov streamlined his team of deputies to six positions. The team includes First Deputy Oleksii Vyskub, Serhii Boiev, Oksana Ferchuk, Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk, and Lieutenant General Yevhen Moisiuk, as well as Lieutenant Colonel Yurii Myronenko, who was replaced by Mstyslav Banik in March 2026.