Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Botir Kudratkhodjaev has been appointed Minister of Defence of the Republic of Uzbekistan by presidential decree.
His candidacy was previously approved by deputies of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.
Shukhrat Khalmukhamedov has been relieved of his post as defence minister in connection with his transfer to another position.
In January 2026, Kudratkhodjaev was appointed First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Uzbekistan and head of the Operational and Investigative Department. He was relieved of his previous position as Minister of Emergency Situations, which he had held since February 2025.
Before being appointed head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Kudratkhodjaev served as Deputy Prosecutor General and Military Prosecutor of Uzbekistan, a post he had held since November 2022.
He previously headed the Khorezm Region Prosecutor’s Office. From 2017, he led the Bureau of Compulsory Enforcement under the Prosecutor General’s Office. He served as Tashkent prosecutor in 2016–2017 and as prosecutor of Surkhandarya Region in 2014–2016.
Anvar Umarov
Anvar Umarov is the founder and editor-in-chief of UzDaily, a leading business and news publication covering Uzbekistan and Central Asia. With over 20 years of experience in journalism, he has also worked as a PR manager for both state and private organizations, bringing a broad perspective on media, communications, and public affairs to his editorial leadership.
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