Amid the ongoing war with Russia and mounting difficulties, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has continued to overhaul key political and defence positions within his administration. The latest reshuffle saw the dismissal of Zelenskyy’s longtime first assistant, Serhiy Shefir, who had served in that role since 2019.
In addition to Shefir’s departure, Zelenskyy also dismissed three advisers and two presidential representatives overseeing volunteer activities and soldiers’ rights. The Ukrainian presidency cited the need for “personnel optimization” as the reason behind these dismissals, according to local media reports.
These personnel changes are part of a wider reshuffle that Zelenskyy has undertaken in recent weeks and months. Earlier this week, he replaced Oleksii Danilov, the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, with Oleksandr Lytvynenko, the head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service. In February, Zelenskyy caused a stir by removing Valerii Zaluzhnyi as the armed forces commander-in-chief and appointing Oleksandr Syrskyi to the position.
The reshuffling of key roles within the Ukrainian government comes as the country faces significant headwinds more than two years after the full-scale Russian invasion began. Despite the ongoing conflict, there has been little progress on the battlefield, and Ukraine is grappling with a faltering supply of aid from Western allies.
Meanwhile, Russian strikes on Ukrainian territory continue unabated. On Saturday, Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 12 Iranian-made Shahed drones overnight, nine of which were shot down. Over the previous 24 hours, Russia had unleashed a barrage of 38 missiles, 75 airstrikes, and 98 attacks from multiple rocket launchers, according to Ukrainian authorities.
The attacks have resulted in casualties, with two people killed and one wounded in the Donetsk region on Saturday. Blackouts remain in place in some regions due to Russia’s recent intensification of attacks on Ukrainian power plants and other energy infrastructure.
Zelenskyy’s reshuffle of key positions within his administration suggests a concerted effort to strengthen Ukraine’s leadership and strategic approach during this critical phase of the conflict with Russia.
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