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Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Navy, confirmed to Suspilne on April 22 that he had been appointed as the new press chief for the Southern Defense Forces of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
The previous press chief, Nataliia Humeniuk, was dismissed on April 19.
Humeniuk drew criticism from the Ukrainian media association Mediarukh for allegedly preventing journalists from properly covering Russian crimes in Kherson Oblast.
The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces announced Humeniuk's dismissal without mentioning the reason but said that the search for her replacement is underway.
Pletenchuk told Suspilne he would take over as press chief starting on April 22. He has served as a Navy spokesperson since May 2023.
Media association calls for replacement of southern military command’s press department head
Ukrainian media association Mediarukh called on April 16 for the replacement of Nataliia Humeniuk, the head of the military’s Southern Operational Command’s press department, for supposedly hindering proper war coverage in Kherson Oblast.
Martin Fornusek
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