The state concern "Ukroboronprom" stated that it has problems with the missile program. And the media write that the enterprise will be headed by Herman Smetanin instead of the current manager Yurii Husev. Smetaninʼs candidacy is explained by the fact that it will be the first time that a person from production will head the defense company.
In its statement, the concern assured that it had successfully implemented a significant part of the missile program, but "some issues of its further implementation remain unresolved." On the instructions of the general director Yurii Husev, an inspection was conducted in March-April 2023 to establish the reasons. The results with recommendations were sent to the Ministry of Strategic Industries and the Department of Counterintelligence of the SBU on April 25, the press service of “Ukroboronprom” writes.
Meanwhile, Economic Truth, citing government sources, writes that due to problems with the missile program, they want to replace Yurii Husev with Herman Smetanin, the head of the Kharkiv Malyshev Plant, who has been managing the enterprise since April 2021. The Cabinet of Ministers should adopt a resolution on Smetaninʼs appointment on June 26. If this happens, the document will enter into force in two days.
The sources add that President Zelensky is not satisfied with the the Operational-tactical missile system (OTMS) "Sapsan" program. He was promised that in May 2023 this complex would massively destroy Russian infrastructure in the depths of the territory of the Russian Federation, but this did not happen. There are also questions about a drone with a range of the 1 000 km, which "no one can find." Yurii Husev is called the direct coordinator of these projects. Zelensky allegedly set Smetanina three main tasks: to increase the production of all weapons, to fight corruption in the industry, and to complete the relevant reform of the defense industry.
Forbes also writes about the probable replacement of Husev with Smetanin. The spokeswoman for “Ukroboronprom” Nataliia Sad said that there are no documents regarding the appointment of a new head in the department yet, "but this does not mean that they will not appear."
- Previously, "Babel" sources reported that "Ukroboronprom" may be headed by the current Deputy Minister for Strategic Industries Serhiy Boev.
- In December 2020, Husev signed an order to start the corporatization of “Ukroboronprom” and publicly promised that he would complete this process within six months.
- On July 14 of this year, the Ministry of Strategic Industries and “Ukroboronprom” confirmed to the “StateWatch” analytical center that the reform of the concern is blocked because the Cabinet of Ministers has not identified an official who should register the joint-stock company "Ukrainian Defense Industry".
- The work of "Ukroboronprom" was criticized in an interview with "Babel" by Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov. He said that the concern is actually not ready to work in war conditions.
- As for the drone with a flight range of 1 000 kilometers, “Ukroboronprom” announced its creation in October 2022. Later, “Ukroboronprom” spokeswoman Nataliia Sad published a photo with General Zaluzhnyi and the director of the concern, Yurii Husev, and reported that Ukraine had successfully used a domestically produced strike drone with a range of thousands of kilometers.