Zelensky dismisses NSDC secretary, appoints Foreign Intelligence Service chief as replacement

MOSCOW. March 27 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has dismissed Alexei Danilov from the position of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) secretary and replaced him with Alexander Litvinenko.

Ukrainian media said the president issued the respective executive orders on March 26.

Later that day, Zelensky signed an executive order to appoint Oleg Ivashchenko as the Foreign Intelligence Service chief.

Litvinenko has been director of the National Institute for Strategic Studies (2019-2021) and deputy secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (2014-2019). He is a doctor of political science (2002), a professor (2011), and a major general in reserve (2015).

Alexey Danilov has served as the National Security and Defense Council secretary since October 3, 2019. He was also the mayor of Lugansk (1994-1997), the head of the Lugansk regional state administration (2005), and a member of the Fifth Ukrainian Parliament (2006-2007).

According to Zelensky, Danilov will be employed in another area.