Zelensky Fires Security Chief As Defense Shake-Up Continues

In an apparent continuing shake-up of his defense leadership, Ukraine’s President Zelensky has fired the the head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council (SNBO), Oleksiy Danilov.

A decree confirming his removal was published to the Ukrainian presidency’s official website, however, it provided no reason or explanation for the decision. Danilov had been installed in the top national security office in October 2019.

Oleksiy Danilov, via Moscow Times

The Kyiv correspondent for the Financial Times, Christopher Miller, has also confirmed the high level removal…

“Another big and expected shakeup in Kyiv. Zelensky has dismissed Oleksiy Danilov from the post of head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council and replaced him with Oleksandr Lytvynenko, who has been serving at Chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service,” writes Miller.

This is but the latest in a major shake-up of top defense ranks which began in early February. At that time Ukraine’s top general and commander of the armed forces, Gen. Valery Zaluzhny, was booted out despite his widely reported popularity among military ranks.

Zelensky had said at the time that it is “time for renewal” at a moment Western press began to increasingly acknowledge that Ukraine forces are being beaten by the greater manpower and artillery of the Russian military machine.

President Biden too has long acknowledged Ukraine is in “dire straights”, also after Zelensky has struggled to attract more weaponry, and amid war weary Western publics, and European nations which have seen their own stockpiles greatly diminished.

Ironically this was Danilov’s last tweet… As Putin gets re-elected to office the longtime Ukraine national security chief gets sacked.

Likely it is too late for any major turn-around for Kiev forces, though the Zelensky administration has lately been teasing the potential for a large new military mobilization of hundreds of thousands, which is sure to be hugely unpopular and controversial among the Ukrainian population. Officials have indicated the military needs some 300,000 to 500,000 more men just to hold the front lines and stave off Russian advance.