German Smetanin is leaving ‘Ukroboronprom’: who will replace him?
Smetanin announced this on his Facebook page.
The company’s former head did not explain why he was stepping down, nor did he reveal his future plans. In his post, he summarised the company’s achievements and thanked the staff at head office and the group’s subsidiaries.
“I am convinced that our greatest achievement is a strong, professional team, both within the company and at the group’s subsidiaries. These are the managers, designers, engineers, technologists, production staff, veterans and everyone who works hard every day to achieve results,” wrote Smetanin.
He added that it had been an honour for him to lead Ukraine’s largest defence company.
Who will head ‘Ukroboronprom’?
Smetanin’s successor has not yet been officially named. According to the articles of association of JSC ‘Ukrainian Defence Industry’, the appointment and dismissal of the chief executive fall within the remit of the supervisory board. The head of the company must be selected on a competitive basis.
Upon the dismissal of the chief executive, the supervisory board must simultaneously appoint a person to act as interim chief executive or select a new head of the company. Consequently, Ukroboronprom may have an interim head until the competition is concluded.
In his statement, Smetanin did not specify whether the supervisory board had already taken the relevant personnel decision.
Smetanin took the helm of the company for the second time in August 2025. Ukroboronprom officially announced his return to the post at that time.
What is known about Herman Smetanin
Smetanin qualified as a design engineer for wheeled and tracked vehicles at the Kharkiv National Automobile and Road University. He also studied defence industry management at the Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute.
He began his professional career at the Morozov Machine-Building Design Bureau in Kharkiv. He subsequently worked at the Lviv Armoured Vehicle Plant, served as production director at the Malyshev Plant, and headed both the Kharkiv Armoured Vehicle Plant and the Malyshev Plant.
In June 2023, Smetanin became head of ‘Ukroboronprom’ for the first time. In September 2024, he left the company following his appointment as Minister for Strategic Industries.
Following a government reshuffle in 2025, Smetanin returned to ‘Ukrainian Defence Industry’ and took the helm of the company for a second time.
JSC ‘Ukrainian Defence Industry’ is wholly state-owned. The company brings together enterprises in strategic sectors of the defence industry and is involved in the production of weapons and military equipment.
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