Pletenchuk leaves post as Southern Defense Forces spokesperson

Dmytro Pletenchuk announced on June 11 that he is leaving his position as the spokesperson of the Southern Defense Forces and returning to his duties as a Navy press officer.

"This was planned from the start. Please, do not look for any hidden meaning," Pletenchuk said on Facebook.

"I have fulfilled my role as a 'crisis manager' and returned to the duties of the Navy spokesperson."

Pletenchuk, who has served as the Navy spokesperson since May 2023, took over as the press chief of the Southern Defense Forces on April 22 after the dismissal of Nataliia Humeniuk.

Humeniuk lost the job following criticism by the media that she allegedly prevented journalists from properly covering Russian crimes in Kherson Oblast.

On June 5, Humeniuk was appointed to a new position of a deputy head of the Southern Operational Command's communications department.

It remains unclear who will now take over as the spokesperson of the Southern Defense Forces.

Humeniuk dismissed as press chief of Southern Defense Forces

The General Staff’s announcement did not mention the reason for Humeniuk’s dismissal, but said that the search for her replacement is underway.

The Kyiv IndependentAbbey Fenbert