| Herman Smetanin | |
| Office: | Minister of Strategic Industries |
| Native Name Lang: | uk |
| Predecessor: | Oleksandr Kamyshin |
| President: | Volodymyr Zelenskyy |
| Primeminister: | Denys Shmyhal |
| Term Start: | 5 September 2024 |
| Birth Date: | 8 October 1992 |
| Birth Place: | Kharkiv, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine |
| Education: | Kharkiv Secondary School No. 49 |
Herman Volodymyrovych Smetanin (uk|Герман Володимирович Сметанін; born 8 October 1992) is a Ukrainian politician who is the Minister of Strategic Industries since the 5th September 2024. Herman is also a defense industry management executive, General Director of the Joint Stock Company "Ukrainian Defense Industry" (since June 28, 2023), former General Director of the state enterprise "Malyshev Factory" (2023), and former Director of the Kharkiv Armored Plant (2021–2022).
Herman Smetanin was born on October 8, 1992, in the city of Kharkiv. He graduated from Kharkiv Secondary School No. 49.
He obtained a degree as a design engineer for wheeled and tracked vehicles at Kharkiv National Automobile and Highway University.
In 2019, he received a master's degree in management in the defense industry sector from the National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute."
From 2014 to 2015, Herman Smetanin worked at the Kharkiv Machine Building Design Bureau, part of the state concern "Ukroboronprom." He was a leading specialist in the development of the TBKM "Dozor-B" armored combat vehicle and organized its state testing.
From April 2016 to January 2020, he worked initially as the Chief Designer and later as the Chief Engineer at the Lviv Armored Plant. Under Smetanin's leadership in Lviv, the GPM-72 tracked firefighting vehicle and the BREM "Zubr" and BREM "Lev" armored recovery vehicles were developed based on the T-72 tank.
In 2020–2021, he served as the Production Director at the Malyshev Factory. From March 2021 to November 2022, he was the Director of the Kharkiv Armored Plant. From December 2022 to June 2023, he headed the Malyshev Factory, initially as the Production Director and Acting General Director and from April 2023 as the General Director.
On June 28, 2023, Smetanin was appointed General Director of the Joint Stock Company "Ukrainian Defense Industry," which was created by transforming the state concern "Ukroboronprom."
On the 5th September 2024, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine appointed Smetanin as the Minister of Strategic Industries of Ukraine, succeeding Oleksandr Kamyshin.[1]
Under Herman Smetanin's leadership at the State Enterprise "Lviv Armored Plant," the plant successfully mastered the regulated repair of the BREM-1 armored recovery vehicle, the GPM-54 tracked firefighting vehicle, the T-64 tank, and its modifications. The GPM-72 tracked armored firefighting vehicle and the "Lev" armored recovery vehicle were developed, and after undergoing departmental tests, they were approved for use by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The first batch of "Dozor-B" tactical combat wheeled vehicles was also produced under his supervision.
During Herman Smetanin's tenure as Director of the State Enterprise "Kharkiv Armored Plant," the company increased its production output by no less than 20% annually compared to similar periods in previous years. The development, testing, and production of the first batches of T-64BVK (command) tanks were completed, as well as the deep modernization of T-64 tanks to the T-64BM2 version.
During Herman Smetanin's time as General Director of the State Enterprise "Malyshev Factory," the company more than tripled its production output, increasing it by 3.3 times, and achieved profitability in its financial operations.
According to the Minister of Strategic Industries, Oleksandr Kamyshin, during the appointment of Herman Smetanin as the General Director of JSC "Ukrainian Defense Industry," three main tasks were set before him: increasing the production of ammunition and military equipment, building an effective anti-corruption infrastructure within the company, and transforming "Ukroboronprom."
Key achievements: