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Zelensky offers Zaporizhzhia OVA head Ivan Fedorov the post of head of the Restoration Agency

Updated 3 September 2026

President Volodymyr Zelensky has offered Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, the position of head of the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development. Fedorov announced the offer during a report marking his 1,000 days leading the Zaporizhzhia OVA. No official decision on his dismissal or appointment had been made as of the time of reporting.

Why it matters

The move points to a potential leadership change in the Zaporizhzhia region, one of Ukraine's most strategically sensitive oblasts because of its frontline position and industrial weight. The State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development is a central body for the country's post-war reconstruction, and the vacancy was opened by the July 29, 2026 resignation of its current head, Serhiy Sukhomlyn, who had led the agency since September 2024. If completed, the transfer would combine Fedorov's regional responsibilities with a nationwide reconstruction mandate. Fedorov's profile, including his March 2022 abduction by Russian forces, gives the personnel move high political visibility.

What happened

During a 1,000-day work report, Ivan Fedorov, head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration, said President Volodymyr Zelensky offered him the post of head of the State Agency for Restoration and Infrastructure Development. Fedorov framed the possible transition as combining two lines of responsibility rather than leaving Zaporizhzhia Oblast, saying he would continue working in the region as co-chair of the Oblast Defense Council. He also said the conversation emphasized that Zaporizhzhia Oblast remains an unconditional priority as a southern outpost, a foothold on the right bank, and a major industrial center. As of reporting, no official decision had been made on his dismissal from the Zaporizhzhia OVA or his appointment to the new position. Under procedure, any replacement must be reviewed by the Cabinet of Ministers and signed off by a presidential decree. According to Suspilne sources in the region's political circles, Fedorov's deputy Mykhailo Semykin/Semikin, who has worked in his team since their time in Melitopol and has been deputy head of the Zaporizhzhia OVA since May 2024, is among the likely candidates to take over the oblast administration.

How Ukrainian sources describe it

All seven reporting outlets on the story are Ukrainian, and they converge on framing the offer as a presidential personnel move publicly confirmed by Fedorov himself. Ukrainian coverage foregrounds Fedorov's biography, including his 2022 abduction by Russian forces and subsequent release, to underscore his political standing. They stress procedural caution, emphasizing that no official decision on his dismissal or appointment had yet been made, and detail the formal process: a Cabinet of Ministers review followed by a presidential decree. Several outlets name Mykhailo Semykin/Semikin as a probable successor at the Zaporizhzhia OVA and highlight Fedorov's assurance that he will remain co-chair of the Oblast Defense Council, presenting the change as continuity rather than abandonment of the region.

Where reporting differs

Sources disagree on whether Fedorov is definitively relocating to Kyiv for a new appointment or whether the offer has not yet translated into an official move. Some reporting frames the transfer as decided based on Suspilne sources in the region's political circles, while Fedorov's own statement and the confirmed record emphasize that no official decision on his dismissal or appointment had been made at the time of reporting.

Background

Ivan Fedorov began his government career in 2014 as deputy mayor of Melitopol and was elected mayor of the city in 2020. On February 25, 2022, Russian forces entered Melitopol, and Fedorov refused to cooperate with the occupiers. On March 11, 2022, he was abducted by Russian soldiers; the kidnapping was captured on surveillance cameras. On March 13, 2022, residents of Melitopol rallied in support of Fedorov and activist Olha Haisumova, and President Zelensky appealed to world leaders to help secure his release. On March 16, 2022, Fedorov was freed in a swap for nine Russian conscripts. In February 2024, he was appointed head of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast Military Administration. The current head of the State Agency for Restoration, Serhiy Sukhomlyn, submitted a letter of resignation of his own accord on July 29, 2026; he had led the agency since September 2024.

Sources