On 13 July 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dismissed Serhii Boiev from his position as Deputy Minister of Defence for European Integration. The official reason given was that he resigned “at his own request.” However, the timing of his departure raises important questions, coming amid political uncertainty surrounding the Ministry of Defence and preparations for the formation of a new government.
In a blog post for Censor.NET, NAKO researcher Oleksandr Veherzhynskyi examines the possible implications of Boiev’s resignation.
Boiev oversaw one of the Ministry’s broadest and most strategically important portfolios. His responsibilities included ensuring that Ukraine’s defence reforms aligned with NATO and EU accession requirements, as well as coordinating military-technical cooperation with international partners.
The latter area is particularly critical for Ukraine’s defence capabilities. Boiev was responsible for advancing the government’s “win-win” approach to international defence cooperation—an initiative aimed at attracting foreign investment and manufacturing capacity to scale up weapons production based on Ukrainian technologies, while offering Ukraine’s unique battlefield expertise in return.
The timing of his resignation is especially notable. Ukraine is currently undergoing another government reshuffle, during which all deputy ministers are automatically dismissed and may subsequently be reappointed. Against this backdrop, Boiev’s decision to resign voluntarily before the formal reset appears to be a deliberate step away from the upcoming political process. The wording “at his own request” also suggests that the resignation was not related to disciplinary issues, poor performance, or an internal investigation.
As of the evening of 13 July, Boiev had not publicly commented on the reasons behind his decision or his future plans. The Ministry of Defence has likewise not announced who will temporarily assume responsibility for his extensive international cooperation and European integration portfolio. His profile has already been removed from the Ministry’s official website.
Update: Shortly after the article was published, it became known that Boiev had been appointed acting CEO of Ukrainian Defence Industry JSC (Ukroboronprom), replacing Herman Smetanin, who resigned the same day.