Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy continues to overhaul the diplomatic corps, a process that is gradually extending to include not only countries in the European Union and the Western Balkans but also nations in Asia and the Middle East.
On August 6, the president dismissed four ambassadors at once: Vasyl Kyrylych in Croatia, Volodymyr Shkurov in Albania, Oleg Gerasymenko in Montenegro, and Markiyan Chuchuk in Pakistan.
The relevant personnel decisions were formalized by decrees No. 709/2026–No. 712/2026.
According to the Experts Club think tank, the simultaneous replacement of the heads of four diplomatic missions appears to be part of a broader restructuring of Ukraine’s foreign policy apparatus, rather than an isolated personnel move.
As early as May 18, Zelenskyy had spoken of the need for “replacements and adjustments” within the diplomatic corps, and on July 15, he explicitly stated that he was discussing with First Deputy Head of the Office of the President Serhiy Kyslytsya and Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiga a list of Ukrainian ambassadors who needed to be replaced.
The rotation began even before a series of decisions were made in August. Specifically, on June 26, the president dismissed the Ukrainian ambassadors to Oman, Cyprus, Vietnam, and Cambodia. At the same time, new appointments were made to other diplomatic posts.
Thus, this represents a gradual renewal of Ukraine’s network of diplomatic missions over the course of several months.
Three of the four ambassadors had served for more than six years
The length of the diplomats’ tenures also suggests that the August decisions should be viewed primarily in the context of rotation.
Vasyl Kyrylych was appointed Ukraine’s ambassador to Croatia on December 24, 2019, and served in Zagreb for more than six and a half years.
Volodymyr Shkurov took the helm of the Ukrainian Embassy in Albania on April 13, 2020, and also served for over six years.
Markiyan Chuchuk was appointed Ukraine’s ambassador to Pakistan on April 17, 2020. His diplomatic mission lasted over six years.
Oleg Gerasymenko headed the Ukrainian Embassy in Montenegro starting May 4, 2022—a little over four years.
The very fact that three of the four diplomats held their posts for such a long time is further evidence supporting the theory of a planned personnel rotation. The published decrees do not specify the reasons for the dismissals.
It is particularly telling that three of the four August decisions concern Southeast Europe—Croatia, Albania, and Montenegro.
Experts Club notes that the importance of this region for Ukrainian diplomacy has grown significantly.
Croatia is a member of the EU and NATO and remains one of Ukraine’s steadfast partners. Croatia’s experience with postwar reconstruction, demining, the return of the population, and the integration of territories following the conflicts of the 1990s is also important for Kyiv.
Albania is also a NATO member and actively supports Ukraine in international forums. Tirana hosted one of the previous summits in the “Ukraine–Southeast Europe” format.
Montenegro presents another area of interest. It is a NATO member and, at the same time, the most promising candidate for EU accession among the countries of the Western Balkans. Therefore, relations with Podgorica are becoming important for Kyiv in the context of its own European integration.
On July 15, Kyiv hosted the fifth “Ukraine–Southeast Europe” summit, attended by representatives from Albania, Croatia, and Montenegro. The participants reaffirmed their support for Ukraine and the need to expand regional cooperation.
Against this backdrop, the nearly simultaneous replacement of three Ukrainian ambassadors to Balkan countries may indicate Kyiv’s desire to inject additional momentum into this direction.
Of the three Balkan appointments, Montenegro may prove to be the most interesting.
Podgorica expects to conclude negotiations on accession to the European Union and become one of the next new EU members. For Ukraine, which is also negotiating membership, Montenegro’s experience could be of practical value.
In addition, Ukraine is gradually building a separate network of relations with countries in the Adriatic region—Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, and neighboring Serbia.
The most recent example is Zelenskyy’s official visit to Belgrade on August 8 and his talks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, during which they discussed free trade, energy, agriculture, Ukraine’s recovery, and political cooperation.
Thus, the Balkans are gradually transforming from a secondary focus of Ukrainian diplomacy into an independent regional track.
The replacement of the ambassador to Pakistan presents a completely different challenge.
Islamabad is important to Ukraine as one of the largest centers in South Asia and a representative of the so-called Global South. Pakistan’s population is approaching 250 million; the country wields significant regional political influence and is a nuclear power.
At the same time, Pakistan’s foreign policy is based on a complex system of relations with China, the United States, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India, Russia, and the Gulf states.
For Ukraine, expanding ties with Pakistan could be significant in several areas at once—food trade, industry, international organizations, and building support for Kyiv among Asian nations and the Muslim world.
As Ukraine’s foreign policy increasingly shifts away from focusing exclusively on the EU and the U.S., embassies in countries such as Pakistan, India, the Gulf states, Indonesia, and African nations are gaining greater importance.
That is precisely why replacing the ambassador in Islamabad after a mission lasting more than six years appears to be a logical part of the renewal of Ukraine’s Asian policy.
The August dismissals are likely not the end of the process.
As early as July 15, Zelenskyy publicly spoke about forming a “pool of ambassadors” slated for replacement. This suggests that new personnel decrees may be issued in the coming weeks.
At the same time, the current diplomatic rotation coincides with more extensive personnel changes in Ukraine’s government system, which took place in July and affected the government, security agencies, and other state institutions.
According to Experts Club, what matters most will not be the number of diplomats dismissed, but who Kyiv appoints to replace them.
If key posts are filled not only by career diplomats but also by former ministers, representatives of the Office of the President, economic negotiators, or prominent public figures, this could signal Ukraine’s transition to a model of so-called “political diplomacy,” in which embassies are assigned more specific economic, investment, and negotiating tasks.
As of August 10, 2026, presidential decrees appointing new Ukrainian ambassadors to Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, and Pakistan have not been published.
Experts Club believes that future appointments will provide a clearer understanding of the logic behind the current rotation.
If diplomats with significant European and economic experience are sent to Zagreb, Tirana, and Podgorica, this will confirm a strengthening of the Balkan focus. The appointment to Islamabad of a specialist in Asian affairs, trade diplomacy, or relations with the Global South, in turn, could signal an expansion of Ukraine’s activities beyond its traditional circle of Western partners.
Overall, the current rotation signals a transition of Ukrainian diplomacy to a new phase: after four years of full-scale war, embassies are now expected not only to secure international support for Ukraine but also to work toward EU membership, the country’s recovery, exports, attracting investment, and forging long-term regional alliances.
Oleksandr Mishchenko, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, accepted copies of the credentials from Anjani Kumar, the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of India to Ukraine. According to the press service of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the parties emphasized the importance of further developing bilateral cooperation and maintaining regular political dialogue at all levels.
The Deputy Minister emphasized Ukraine’s expectations that India play a more active role in promoting the restoration of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine and in holding the aggressor state accountable for the crimes it has committed.
“The parties discussed the agenda for upcoming high-level events, particularly in the context of implementing the agreements reached during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Ukraine on August 23, 2024,” the statement reads.
Special attention was paid to the development of interparliamentary cooperation and the further strengthening of collaboration in the humanitarian sphere. The parties also discussed ways to intensify bilateral economic cooperation and restore positive momentum in contacts between business representatives of the two countries.
“Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue active cooperation and promote the further development of Ukrainian-Indian relations in areas of mutual interest. Oleksandr Mishchenko wished the Ambassador of the Republic of India success in his diplomatic mission in Ukraine and the achievement of significant results for the benefit of both countries and their peoples,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs added.
As part of the implementation of the energy sustainability plan, distributed cogeneration facilities with a total capacity of 65 MW have already been built in Kyiv, according to Petro Panteleev, acting first deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration.
“We have already built cogeneration plants with a capacity of 65 MW and diesel power plants with a capacity of over 16 MW,” he said at a press briefing on Monday dedicated to the progress of the Kyiv City Resilience Plan.
The level of readiness for infrastructure restoration, Panteleev added, has already reached 60%. In addition, the city is working to prepare its housing stock for the heating season.
According to the city official, Kyiv has allocated 800 million hryvnias over the course of the year for the repair and modernization of electrical switchboards. Work is planned this year at 742 facilities; so far, 20% of the plan has been completed.
As Panteleev noted, energy efficiency measures have already been implemented in over 2,000 residential buildings through municipal and state programs.
It was previously reported that the capital’s Resilience Plan allocates 37 billion hryvnias for the restoration and construction of facilities and infrastructure.
The Ukrainian group of companies Kormotech, a manufacturer of dog and cat food, has become the first in Ukraine to receive international certification for compliance with the BRCGS Global Standard for Food Safety. Following an audit by Bureau Veritas Certification Ukraine, the company received an “A” rating, Kormotech’s press service told the “Interfax-Ukraine” news agency.
“During the certification audit, it is not a single product or production line that is evaluated, but rather the company’s entire safety and quality management system. The ‘A’ rating we received demonstrates that our production processes comply with the requirements of the BRCGS standard and that the control systems we have implemented are effective,” said Serhiy Plichko, Lead Auditor at Bureau Veritas Certification Ukraine.
BRCGS is one of the most authoritative international standards for food safety and quality, establishing requirements for the entire production process: from supplier verification and raw material control to hygiene, product traceability, packaging, storage, and risk management. The standard is applied at over 22,000 production sites in more than 130 countries, and its requirements are recognized by leading international brands and retailers.
According to Kormotech’s Chief Operating Officer, Ihor Paranyak, obtaining the certificate was part of Kormotech’s long-term production strategy and the next stage in the development of the quality management system in Ukraine. Each year, Kormotech will undergo a re-audit and confirm its compliance with the standard as part of the regular certification cycle. The company already has experience operating in accordance with BRCGS requirements at its facility in Kedainiai, Lithuania, which has been certified under this standard since 2021.
According to Paranyak, preparing the Ukrainian facility was more challenging because the production facilities in Ukraine were established much earlier than the plant in Lithuania, which was designed from the outset to meet international requirements for organizing production flows.
“During the construction of the facility in Lithuania, we incorporated BRCGS requirements into the planning of production processes from the very beginning: the flow of raw materials and finished products, employee movement, sanitary zones, and risk control. The Ukrainian production facilities were built earlier, so to obtain certification, we had to adapt existing processes and systematically eliminate nonconformities. The A rating we received confirms that the company is capable of operating at a high international standard,” explains Paranyak.
Certification creates additional opportunities for cooperation with international retail chains and partners for whom BRCGS compliance is a mandatory or priority criterion for selecting manufacturers. At the same time, for Kormotech, this is first and foremost a tool for continuous process improvement, rather than a one-time formal audit.
“For several years in a row, we have maintained high BRCGS ratings at our facility in Lithuania. Now, our Ukrainian production facility has also achieved this same international standard. For us, this is an important signal: even amid a full-scale war, our Ukrainian team is capable of implementing complex global standards and meeting the demands of the global market,” concludes Paranyak.
Kormotech is a global family-owned company with Ukrainian roots that has been producing high-quality cat and dog food since 2003. The company operates three production facilities—two in Ukraine and one in Lithuania (another plant in that country is currently under construction). Total production capacity exceeds 102,000 metric tons per year, and the product range includes over 750 items. Kormotech is the market leader in Ukraine and ranks among the top 50 global pet food manufacturers; the company consistently ranks among the fastest-growing pet food brands. The group’s products are available in more than 50 countries worldwide, both under its own brands—Optimeal, Delickcious, CLUB 4 PAWS, My Love, Meow! Woof!—and under its partners’ private labels.
Bureau Veritas Certification Ukraine is the Ukrainian division of the international company Bureau Veritas, one of the world’s leaders in inspection, testing, and certification. The company has been operating in Ukraine since 2003 and provides conformity assessment services in industry, agriculture, construction, and other sectors.
Prices for food and feed wheat in Ukraine remained unchanged over the week—$195 and $185 per metric ton, respectively, on a CPT Odessa basis—while the price of corn fell by $5 to $195 per metric ton CPT Odessa, according to brokerage firm Spike Brokers.
The price of sunflower seeds on a CPT mill basis was $550 per metric ton; rapeseed on a CPT port basis fell by $20 to $500 per metric ton, while on an FCA Chop basis it rose by $5 to $545 per metric ton. The price of GMO soybeans fell to $420 per metric ton CPT port and to $435 per metric ton FCA Chop, while non-GMO soybeans on an FCA Chop basis rose by $10 to $470 per metric ton and fell by $10 to $440 per metric ton on a CPT port basis.
“This week, the Ukrainian physical market moved away from a direct correlation with exchange dynamics. The SPIKE CPT Odessa corn index fell to $195 (-$5 for the week), while 11.5% food wheat and feed wheat held steady at $195 and $185, respectively. On the western basis, SPIKE FCA Chop corn adjusted to $220 (-$3), maintaining a premium of about $25 to the port destination,” the report states.
According to Spike Brokers, the price of corn on an FCA Chop basis also fell—by $3, to $220 per metric ton. The sunflower seed price of $550 per metric ton is linked to processors’ transition to new-crop prices.
The port price of rapeseed fell by $20 per metric ton, while at the western border it rose by $5. From August 1–6, Ukraine exported 27.9 thousand metric tons of rapeseed.
During this period, Ukraine exported 33.5 thousand metric tons of corn, 93.2 thousand metric tons of wheat, and 4.2 thousand metric tons of soybeans. Sunflower oil exports totaled 30.7 thousand metric tons.
Railway grain shipments to the ports of Greater Odesa during the first five days of August fell by 84.3% compared to the same period in July—to 40.8 thousand metric tons, according to the brokerage firm Spike Brokers.
According to its data, the total volume of agricultural exports from Ukraine for August 1–6 amounted to 312,900 metric tons, compared to 784,500 metric tons for the same period in July, a decrease of 60.1%. At the same time, export revenue decreased by 38.4%—to $201.5 million from $326.9 million.
The sharpest decline was seen in grains: wheat exports for the first six days of August totaled 93.2 thousand metric tons, compared to 294.9 thousand metric tons in early July, while corn exports totaled 33.5 thousand metric tons, compared to 293.7 thousand metric tons, respectively.
At the same time, a seasonal flow of rapeseed totaling 27,900 metric tons appeared in the structure of August exports, while shipments of soybean meal rose to 25,700 metric tons from 18,600 metric tons during the corresponding period in July. Sunflower oil exports fell to 30.7 thousand metric tons from 52.1 thousand metric tons.
During the first five days of August, a total of 182 thousand metric tons of grain and milled products were transported by rail, which is 44.1% less than during the same period in July.
“Data from Ukrainian Railways (UZ) for the first five days of the month show a sharp decline in rail grain shipments to seaports, while land-based rail crossings and road exports are operating at a relatively higher level,” the report states.
As for overland logistics channels, from August 1–6, 59,600 metric tons of agricultural products were exported through road border crossings, compared to 53,600 metric tons during the same period in July (an increase of 11.3%).
According to Spike Brokers, the average daily throughput of grain and meal shipments through border crossings during the first five days of August was 142 railcars, compared to 139 railcars in July.
Volumes increased the most on the Romanian route—to 31.2 railcars per day, or 29.3 railcars more than in July. Poland increased its shipments to 27.4 railcars per day (+13.8). In contrast, Hungary reduced this figure to 23 railcars per day (-15.9), and Slovakia to 14.2 railcars per day (-2.7). The backlog of grain railcars heading toward the border rose from 369 to 521 railcars, or by 41.2%.
“In contrast to the slower overall pace of agricultural exports, the road transport channel began August with greater activity than in July. However, its absolute capacity remains insufficient to compensate for the reduction in large-tonnage grain flows through seaports,” the report states.
An increase in activity was also recorded on the Danube route: the number of grain cars in transit rose to 1,296 (+155), and the average daily unloading rate increased to 157 cars (+106).
