Zelensky dismisses Ukraine’s Security Council Secretary Oleksiy Danilov

President Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed Oleksiy Danilov from the post of secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. The presidential decree on Danilov’s dismissal was posted on the website of the President’s Office on March 26. 

In another decree, Zelensky appointed Oleksandr Lytvynenko, the current head of Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service, as Danilov’s replacement. Oleh Ivashchenko will replace Lytvynenko as Foreign Intelligence Service chief. (According to media reports, Ivashchenko previously served as the deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence service HUR.)

At the time of this writing, there has been no reason given for the shakeup. Zelensky also has yet to comment on Danilov’s dismissal. 

Danilov had served as National Security and Defense Council secretary since 2019.