31-year-old head of Malyshev Plant becomes new Ukroboronprom director general

The Cabinet of Ministers has appointed Herman Smetanin as the director general of the Ukrainian Defense Industry joint-stock company (formerly Ukroboronprom) for a period before the formation of the Supervisory Board and the competition for this position.

Oleksandr Kamyshyn, Minister for Strategic Industries, wrote about this on his Telegram channel, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

According to him, Smetanin faces three main tasks:

- increase the production of ammunition and military equipment;

- build an effective anti-corruption infrastructure in the company;

- transform Ukroboronprom.

Smetanin is 31 years old, he has 9 years of experience in the field of defense industry.

Earlier, Smetanin worked at the Lviv Armored Plant, was production director at the Malyshev Plant, director of the Kharkiv Armored Plant, and director general of the Malyshev Plant.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, on June 27, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy relieved the director general of the Ukroboronprom state concern Yurii Husev.

In December 2020, Zelenskyy relieved Husev as head of the Kherson Regional State Administration and appointed him director general of Ukroboronprom.

On March 21, 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers formed the Ukrainian Defense Industry joint-stock company by transforming the Ukroboronprom state concern.

Malyshev Plant is the largest manufacturer of armored vehicles, heavy and transport engineering products, heavy diesel engines.

The company is part of the Ukroboronprom state concern.