Zelensky fires Ruslan Demchenko as National Security and Defense Council first deputy secretary

MOSCOW. July 25 (Interfax) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed a decree dismissing Ruslan Demchenko as first deputy secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council.

Ukrainian media have reported that decree No. 528/2022 dismissing Demchenko was published on the presidential website on Monday.

"Ruslan Mykhailovych Demchenko shall be dismissed from the office of first deputy secretary of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council," the decree said.

According to presidential press secretary Serhiy Nykyforov, the dismissal of Demchenko is due to his health condition.

"We are all working on the edge of our capabilities now. There is a large physical and moral burden. Unfortunately, Mr. Demchenko's state of health does not allow him to work with such a workload now," Nykyforov said in a commentary to Ukrainian journalists.

Several days ago, Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) chief Ivan Bakanov and Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova were dismissed from their offices.