“Gavrilyuk led the Ministry of Defense, not Umerov”: Rakhmanin on real defense management during the war
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has repeatedly found itself at the center of criticism and loud scandals. Suspicions of corruption, inefficient management, dubious purchases — all this created an atmosphere of distrust not only in society, but also among the military. Scandals surrounding the supply of food at inflated prices, bulletproof vests with shortages, and ammunition that did not reach the front on time became painful signals of a systemic crisis in defense management. Despite the change in management – the resignation of Oleksiy Reznikov and the appointment of Rustem Umyerov – the problems did not disappear. Statements are being heard more and more often in expert and political circles: formally, there is a minister, but in reality he is not in charge of the defense department. The division of powers in the Ministry of Defense is frank told Serhiy Rakhmanin, member of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, Defense and Intelligence.
The announcement of the resignation of the First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Ivan Gavrylyuk, is a much more serious event than it might seem at first glance. According to Serhii Rakhmanin, Ivan Gavrylyuk actually performed the functions of the head of the ministry – not from a formal, but from a practical point of view.
“He was called the last adult in the Ministry of Defense – and it is 100% true” said Rachmanin.
According to his conviction, it was Gavrylyuk who made complex and responsible decisions in the field of armaments, logistics, and interaction with the General Staff. He did not just coordinate procurement, but actually controlled strategic processes that had a direct impact on the army’s ability to fight. Rachmanin noted:
“This is a person who 100% understands military matters, the supply of weapons. A person who was not afraid to take responsibility and make decisions. And this is a rare virtue for our managers, especially in the Ministry of Defense.”
The following statement of the parliamentarian was particularly resonant:
“You can feel one way or another about Rustem Enverovich (Umerov), but he did not and does not manage the ministry. Havrylyuk managed the ministry. What the minister should do directly.”
This did not sound like emotional criticism, but as a clear signal of a serious managerial vacuum. According to Rakhmanin, even if the minister and the rest of his deputies were removed from the ministry at the same time, this loss would be less significant than the dismissal of Havrylyuk alone.
Such a comment, against the background of long complaints about the effectiveness of the current head of the defense department, looks like a direct political assessment of management failure at a critical time. Umerov has been in office since the fall of 2023, but his involvement in solving key defense issues appears to be minimal. Rachmanin repeatedly hints that strategic decisions were not made or were made by others.
Therefore, the resignation of Lieutenant General Havrylyuk causes deep concern in the political environment not only because of the official himself, but also because he personified the remnants of a stable, professional, military logic in the ministry’s work. A person with combat experience, systemic thinking and the ability to act – precisely such personnel are lacking in the defense sector, overloaded with bureaucratic rhetoric, the external facade of reforms and internal disorganization.
