Ukrenergo names acting CEO after Kudrytskyi's sacking
The supervisory board of national power company Ukrenergo has declared a competitive selection to fill the role of CEO, following the sacking of former CEO Volodymyr Kudrytskyi. Executive board member Oleksiy Brecht will take over as acting head in the meantime, Kudrytskyi said on Facebook on Sept. 3.
Brecht currently serves as the director of network operation and development for Ukrenergo.
"I am sure that Oleksiy Brecht's experience and professionalism, as well as the Ukrenergo team, will assist in facilitating the continuation of properly preparing the power grid for a tough winter," Kudrytskyi wrote.
Kudrytskyi was fired on Sept. 2, following a vote on the matter by the supervisory board. All three government appointees, as well as one independent, on the board voted in favor of the sacking. The other two independent members voted against.
Notably, on the eve of Kudrytskyi's sacking, international donors wrote a letter to Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal asking him to suspend the dismissal of the head of Ukrenergo.
"The EU, EBRD and IFC have already openly communicated to the authorities about postponing the vote to dismiss Kudrytskyi, where they mention pressure from the authorities on the position of the Supervisory Board, the possible consequences of such a decision, and concerns about financing the protection and restoration of our power grid," said Ukrainian MP Inna Sovsun.
Kudrytskyi's sacking was followed by the resignations of both the chairman of Ukrenergo's supervisory board, Daniel Dobinni, and independent member Peder Andreasen, who had voted against his dismissal and protested the decision.
No official reason has been given for Kudrytskyi's firing, with a number of commentators speculating that it was due to political pressure. Kudrytskyi himself denied rumors that he was fired for insufficiently protecting Ukraine's power grid from Russian attacks.
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