Ukraine's parliament approves Rustem Umerov as new defence minister - lawmaker

Rustem Umerov, head of the country's main privatisation fund, attends a meeting in the president's office, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine November 16, 2022. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS/File photo

KYIV (Reuters) - Ukraine's parliament voted on Wednesday to approve the appointment of Rustem Umerov as the country's new defence minister, a lawmaker said.

Yaroslav Zheleznyak said on the Telegram messaging app that an overwhelming majority had supported Umerov after he was put forward for the role by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Ukraine's biggest wartime shake-up of the defence sector so far.

(Reporting by Olena Harmash and Yuliia Dysa; editing by Tom Balmforth)