Colonel General Stepan Poltorak speaks to the media in Kiev on Oct 13, 2014

(VOVworld) - Ukraine's parliament has approved a new Defense Minister - the fourth change in leadership since Russia's annexation of Crimea in March. The head of Ukraine's National Guard, Stepan Poltorak, will take over from Valeriy Heletey, who resigned amid heavy criticism for the crushing defeat of Ukrainian forces east of Donetsk in late August. Poltorak was nominated by President Petro Poroshenko and was approved in a 245-1 vote.