Top Ukrainian volunteer congratulates new defense minister, offers support
Activist Serhii Sternenko, whose charity has supplied hundreds of thousands of FPV drones to Ukraine's military, has congratulated newly appointed Defense Minister Yevhenii Khmara and offered his continued assistance.
Serhii Sternenko, a well-known Ukrainian volunteer and activist, has publicly congratulated Yevhenii Khmara on his appointment as Ukraine's new Minister of Defense. Sternenko heads a charitable foundation that has provided the Ukrainian military with hundreds of thousands of FPV (first-person view) drones during the ongoing war with Russia.
According to the report, Sternenko was part of the outgoing minister's own team, and drones supported by his foundation have reportedly been credited with destroying or disabling 12,954 Russian military targets. In his congratulatory message to Khmara, Sternenko reportedly offered to continue assisting the defense ministry under its new leadership.
FPV drones have become one of the most important weapons used by Ukraine's armed forces in the war, allowing for precise strikes on enemy equipment and personnel at relatively low cost. Volunteer-run organizations, including the one led by Sternenko, have played a significant role in supplementing official state procurement by responding quickly to needs at the front.
The change in defense leadership comes as Ukraine continues to fight against the Russian invasion, with cooperation between the ministry and the volunteer community seen as an important resource for maintaining the supply of drones and other equipment to the front lines.
