Zaporizhzhia Oblast head leaves his post to lead Restoration Agency

STANISLAV POHORILOV - 4 September, 11:39

Ivan Fedorov. Photo: social media

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved relieving Ivan Fedorov of his duties as head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration and appointing him head of the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine.

Source: Taras Melnychuk, Permanent Representative of the Cabinet of Ministers in the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament)

Details: The government has also relieved Serhii Sukhomlyn from his post as head of the State Agency for Restoration and Development of Infrastructure and Mykola Boiko from his post as its first deputy head.

Fedorov previously reported during a briefing on his 1,000 days in office that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had proposed he lead the Restoration Agency. "I'll be frank: I have received an extremely challenging offer – to head the Agency for Restoration and take responsibility for protecting strategically important facilities across Ukraine. But this transition does not mean that I will abandon Zaporizhzhia Oblast. On the contrary, it means combining two areas of responsibility. I will continue working here as co-chair of the Defence Council and, together with the team, will remain responsible for Zaporizhzhia whilst scaling up our experience across Ukraine," he said.

For reference: Fedorov was elected mayor of Melitopol in 2020. Russian forces entered Melitopol on 25 February 2022. Fedorov refused to cooperate with them and was abducted by the Russians on 11 March 2022. The abduction was captured on CCTV. On 13 March 2022, Melitopol residents held a rally in support of the abducted mayor and activist Olha Haisumova, who had organised acts of resistance in the city. Zelenskyy appealed to world leaders to help secure Fedorov's release. Fedorov was released from Russian captivity on 16 March 2022 in exchange for nine Russian conscripts. He subsequently resumed his work in Ukrainian-controlled territory.

Background: In February 2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree appointing Melitopol Mayor Ivan Fedorov as head of Zaporizhzhia Oblast.

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