On August 20, 2025, the Supervisory Board of JSC Ukrainian Defense Industry appointed Herman Smetanin as General Director of Ukroboronprom. The decision followed final interviews with 14 candidates, whose selection and evaluation were carried out by the international company Odgers Berndtson.
Smetanin identified his key priorities in the role as scaling up production, developing anti-corruption infrastructure, and strengthening and expanding international partnerships.
Smetanin has broad industrial experience, having worked at the Kharkiv Design Bureau and the Lviv Armored Plant. He also served as Director of the Kharkiv Malyshev Plant. In 2023, he was first appointed to lead Ukroboronprom, where he continued the company’s transformation. In September 2024, he became Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine. In July 2025, as part of government restructuring, the Ministry was dissolved and merged into the Ministry of Defence.
The Independent Anti-Corruption Commission (NAKO) welcomes Herman Smetanin’s reappointment as Head of Ukroboronprom, recognizing his experience and expertise in the defense industry. Notably, during his first tenure at the company, the procedures of the nomination committees — transparent competitions for selecting executives — were significantly improved. Since 2019, NAKO has been involved in the work of these committees, analyzing candidates for reputational and corruption risks.
“Last year, the decision to appoint Herman Smetanin as Minister of Strategic Industries came as something of a surprise to us. We knew him primarily as a professional with significant management experience in defense enterprises, who had not previously been engaged in public policy. Now, with his return to Ukroboronprom, it is important to continue the company’s transformation in line with the best international practices. Equally important is the fact that Smetanin’s appointment involved the participation of an international agency,” noted NAKO Senior Researcher Viktoriia Vyshnivska.
NAKO wishes Herman Smetanin success in further reforming Ukraine’s defense industry and stands ready to provide necessary support.
