ISTANBUL

Ukraine’s government on Tuesday announced that it dismissed the governors of its northeastern Sumy and easternmost Luhansk regions.

Taras Melnychuk, the Ukrainian government's permanent representative in parliament, said on Telegram that Sumy Governor Volodymyr Artyukh and Luhansk Governor Artem Lysohor were dismissed from their post.

He further announced that Artyukh was replaced by Oleh Hryhorov, a former police chief in Sumy, while Oleksiy Kharchenko, the former mayor of Siverskodonetsk city, assumed the post left vacant by Lysohor.

Although Melnychuk did not provide further details as to why the governors were relieved from their duties, Artyukh’s dismissal comes amid accusations from local authorities about him organizing a military award ceremony on the same day of a missile strike on the city of Sumy by Russia, which resulted in the death of 35 people and injured over 110 others.

Artyukh denied being involved in the organization of the event in comments to public broadcaster Suspilne on Monday, but noted that he was invited to it.