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Zelensky Removes Border Guard Chief, Names Valeriy Vavryniuk Interim Chief

Zelensky says he will name a permanent successor from a prepared shortlist soon.

Overview

  • Presidential decrees signed on January 4 dismissed Lieutenant General Serhii Deineko and formally installed First Deputy Valeriy Vavryniuk as acting head of the State Border Guard Service.
  • Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko appointed Deineko as an advisor to the ministry, expecting him to provide expert support grounded in frontline experience.
  • Doctors recommended a short recovery period for Deineko after years of service, and he is slated to take command of a Border Guard combat unit following rehabilitation.
  • Klymenko said Deineko will continue his military service while advising, noting that guidance from combat positions will have practical value.
  • The leadership shift comes as part of a broader early‑2026 government reshuffle that reporting links to a recent corruption scandal, which has also included moves involving Kyrylo Budanov and Mykhailo Fedorov.