Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov may become the new Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
Minister of Digital Transformation Mykhailo Fedorov may become the new Minister of Defense of Ukraine.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this in an evening address on January 2.
«Mykhailo is deeply involved in issues related to the drone line, and is working very effectively in the digitalization of public services and processes,» Zelenskyy noted. It is not yet known who will head the Ministry of Digital Affairs.
«Fedorov is the Minister of Defense! Oh, how happy I am for all of us. Finally! Congratulations, friends!!!» wrote monobank co-founder Oleg Gorokhovsky.
«Today we have begun a significant reboot, internal changes to make Ukraine more stable. Last year, there were good results from state institutions, which need to be made greater. There were also problems that should not be left in the new year. Therefore, there will be a wave of personnel changes, and there will be more decisions in the institutions,» Zelensky added.
Denys Shmyhal, in turn, will remain in the team. «I offered Shmyhal another direction in state work, no less important for the stability of the country,» Zelensky said.
«Somehow, I feel a little sorry for Shmyhal. He just settled in the Ministry of Defense and they are changing him again. I have heard two positions about him: the National Security and Defense Council or the Minister of Energy + something else will be added. To be honest, I think the second one is more realistic — but somehow the phrase 'parliament will propose' doesn’t sound very strange here,» noted Yaroslav Zheleznyak, a people’s deputy from Holos.
This morning it became known that the head of the President’s Office will be Kyrylo Budanov, and the head of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Oleh Ivashchenko, will be the head of the GUR.
«From today, Oleg Ivashchenko will continue to serve the state and carry out tasks to deter Russian military potential at the position of military intelligence of Ukraine,» the head of state noted. On January 2, Zelensky held a meeting with Ivashchenko, during which he reported on the general situation around Ukraine and current threats as the head of foreign intelligence.
The president stressed that the priority remains reducing Russia’s economic potential: «The less Russia earns, the more opportunities for diplomacy.» Particular attention is being paid to limiting and reducing the price of Russian oil exports. Ivashchenko will be replaced by Oleksandr Kononenko.
The president also announced that the head of the State Border Service of Ukraine (SBSU) will be replaced in the near future. The new candidate will be presented by Minister of Internal Affairs Ihor Klymenko.
