Mykhailo Yezhel

Admiral (Ret.) Mykhailo Bronislavovych Yezhel is the former Minister of Defence of Ukraine (from 2010 to 2012) and a former Commander of the Ukrainian Navy (from 2001 to 2003).

Mykhailo Yezhel was born on October 19, 1952 in a small village of Sloboda-Yaltushkivska, Barskyi Raion, Vinnytsia Oblast, in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union.

In 1970 he completed 10th grade in a Republican specialized boarding school in Kiev and went on military career. Having served in the Pacific Fleet of the Soviet Navy from 1975 till 1993, Yezhel acquired citizenship of the newly independent Ukraine and joined its Navy from the very beginning of its foundation.

From August 20, 2001 until April 25, 2003 he served as commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian Navy. He retired in October 2003.

From March 11, 2010 until February 8, 2012 he served as the Minister of Defence of Ukraine. According to Ukrayinska Pravda he had been forced to resign "for failure to plan for army reform". On 24 February 2012 Yezhel was appointed an adviser to Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.