Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky carried out regular personnel purges. On March 30, Zelensky fired many of his advisors and deputies, including Sergei Shefir, director and founder of the Kvartal-95 studio. This was reported on the website of the Ukrainian leader.
The decree of the President of Ukraine states: “Removal of Chief Sergei Nakhmanovich from the post of first deputy of the President of Ukraine.”
In addition to Shefir, Zelensky fired three freelance consultants: Oleg Ustenko, Mikhail Radutsky and Sergei Trofimov. The Ukrainian president also dismissed the Presidential Commissioner for Ensuring the Rights of Defenders of Ukraine Alena Verbitskaya and the Presidential Commissioner for Voluntary Activities Natalya Pushkareva.
Zelensky did not forgive Shafir
The reason for Şefir’s dismissal was not officially announced. At the same time, a Strana.ua source close to the Ukrainian Presidency said that his resignation was imminent.
According to the publication, Shafir is considered Zelensky’s closest ally and friend. He played a major role in public administration, being responsible for relations with Ukrainian businessmen. However, after the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, its influence decreased sharply.
“The President did not forgive Shafir for leaving Kiev in a hurry in the first days. From now on, it was only a matter of time before he resigned. Moreover, Shafir’s previous functionality in terms of negotiations with the oligarchs is no longer valid.
Talks with major companies in power are now direct, specific and short, a source told Strana.ua.
However, according to another source who knows Shafir personally, Zelensky’s friend was quite skeptical about what was happening in Ukraine and decided to resign on his own initiative.
According to open sources, Vladimir Zelensky and Sergei Shefir have been friends and partners for a long time. In 2003, they founded the Kvartal-95 studio together. Şefir also produced the TV series “Servant of the People”, starring Zelensky.
Shefir was appointed vice president of Ukraine in 2019. In addition to his business contacts, he was also responsible for Zelensky’s daily schedule.
Who else worked in the government besides Kvartal-95?
Sergei Trofimov, a freelance consultant who was fired along with Shefir, also previously worked at Kvartal-95 and had served as executive producer since 2007. Zelensky appointed Trofimov deputy head of the presidential administration in 2019, but transferred him to advisor at the end of 2020.
Also from Kvartal-95 came Ivan Bakanov, former head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). Zelensky, a childhood friend of Zelensky, joined the SBU in May 2019 as head of the Main Directorate for Combating Corruption and Organized Crime. 5 days later, Bakanov was appointed deputy head of the SBU and became head of the department at the end of August.
On July 17, 2022, Zelensky dismissed Bakanov by decree.
Yuriy Kostyuk, another screenwriter of Kvartal-95 who also worked on Servant of the People, was appointed deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential administration in 2019. Kostyuk currently continues to work in the president’s office and is responsible for information policy.
Personnel liquidation in Ukraine
Dismissals in Ukraine’s top leadership began in February with the resignation of Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny. Following this, at the end of March, Zelensky dismissed National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Secretary Alexei Danilov.
Deputy heads of the Presidential Office Andrey Smirnov and Alexey Dneprov were also subject to personnel purges. The reason for their dismissal is unknown.
In February, when Zelensky first publicly stated that he was considering Zaluzhny’s resignation. reportedUkraine’s leadership as a whole needs a “reset and a new start.”