Stepan Poltorak

Stepan Tymofiyovych Poltorak is a Ukrainian general who served as the Minister of Defence of Ukraine from 14 October 2014 until 29 August 2019. Previously he was the commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine and National Guard of Ukraine. Poltorak's rank was General of the army of Ukraine. From 1 January 2019, Poltorak remained the country's defense minister as a civilian, after resigning from military service in October 2018. Poltorak resigned at the request of newly inaugurated president Volodymyr Zelensky on 20 May 2019.

Biography Poltorak shaking hands with veterans at the 2017 Kyiv Independence Day Parade. Poltorak was born on 11 February 1965 in the village Vesela Dolyna (located in the Bolhrad Raion, Odesa Oblast).

Poltorak meeting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan at the NATO meeting of defense ministers, February 14, 2019 On 28 February 2014 acting President of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov appointed Poltorak commander of the Internal Troops of Ukraine.

When the National Guard of Ukraine was reestablished on 13 March 2014, Poltorak became its first commander on 15 April 2014. , replacing Valeriy Heletey, who was appointed head of the State Security Administration after President Petro Poroshenko accepted his resignation.

President Poroshenko accepted Poltorak's resignation from military service on 13 October 2018. His wife is a captain at Poltorak former posting, the Academy of the Interior Ministry of Ukraine in Kharkiv.

Medal "For Irreproachable Service"