Ukraine makes changes to arms industry after missile program failure

The Ukrainian government has reshuffled top officials of the leading state-run defense enterprise, naming a new head of the state UkrOboronProm corporation.

On Jun. 26, Ukrainian media reported that the Cabinet of Ministers had approved Herman Smetanin as the new head of the UkrOboronProm state concern.

According to the Ukrainska Pravda’s sources, the incumbent head of the concern, Yuriy Husev, failed in the missile program.

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The report said that according to the new plans, President Volodymyr Zelensky was promised, for example, that in May 2023 Ukrainian Sapsan tactical missile system (export name Grim-2) would inflict massive destruction on Russian military infrastructure deep in Russian territory.

On July 18, Defense Express magazine reported that progress in developing the Ukrainian tactical missile system is 65-70%. The first prototype battery of a mobile short-range ballistic missile system was to contain two launch carrier vehicles and loader vehicles, as well as two command and staff vehicles, at the division and battery levels, to conduct the entire range of tests in the shortest possible time.

According to a recent press release from UkrOboronProm, by the decision of Yuriy Gusev, an inspection was conducted in March-April this year to determine the reasons for the failure to implement certain measures of the missile program.

On April 25 this year, the internal audit results were sent to the Ministry of Strategic Industries of Ukraine and the Counterintelligence Department of the Security Service of Ukraine for appropriate measures.

Gusev asked the president to transfer him to a diplomatic post in one of the European countries with which Ukraine has close defense contacts, but so far, he has not received an affirmative answer from the president.

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