Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy initiated a significant reshuffle on Saturday, dismissing a longtime aide and several advisers amidst ongoing attacks by Russia.
Serhiy Shefir, who had served as the first assistant since 2019, was relieved of his duties by Zelenskyy. Additionally, three advisers and two presidential representatives overseeing volunteer activities and soldiers’ rights were let go.
These latest changes mark part of a broader personnel shakeup that has unfolded over recent months. Earlier in the week, Oleksii Danilov, the secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, was dismissed, alongside Valerii Zaluzhnyi, who was serving as the head of the armed forces. Zaluzhnyi has since been appointed as Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Kingdom.
The intensification of Russian aggression was evident as Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia launched 12 Shahed drones overnight, with nine being successfully intercepted. Additionally, four missiles were fired into eastern Ukraine.
Zelenskyy Dismisses Additional Aides Amidst Russian Drone and Missile Strikes on Ukraine (Credits: KXAN)
Over the past 24 hours, Russia has escalated its attacks significantly, launching a barrage of 38 missiles, 75 airstrikes, and 98 attacks from multiple rocket launchers, according to Ukraine’s armed forces.
The impact of these attacks on vital infrastructure was starkly demonstrated by the destruction of the Zmiiv Thermal Power Plant in the eastern Kharkiv region, following Russian shelling the previous week. This has left approximately 120,000 people in the region still experiencing power outages, with 700,000 initially losing electricity after the plant was targeted on March 22.
Russia’s targeting of Ukrainian energy infrastructure has caused widespread damage across several regions. Officials in the Poltava region reported “several hits” to an infrastructure facility, though specifics regarding the nature of the target were not disclosed.
Meanwhile, the toll of Friday’s onslaught, which saw 99 drones and missiles striking regions across Ukraine, became apparent on Saturday. Local officials in the Kherson region confirmed the death of one civilian, while another resident of the Dnipropetrovsk region succumbed to injuries sustained from shell wounds.
