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| - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday dismissed his chief of staff, whose appointment last year drew accusations of cronyism. Zelensky gave no reason for the dismissal of Andriy Bogdan, a 43-year-old former lawyer who had been accused of operating as a frontman for billionaire oligarch Igor Kolomoisky. The announcement of the reshuffle came after reports of a tug-of-war between Bogdan and his replacement, Andriy Yermak. Zelensky -- a former comedian with no previous political experience -- won a landslide victory last year promising to reboot the political system and purge the influence of powerful oligarchs. He had, however, shrugged off accusations that Bogdan served as a front for Kolomoisky's interests. Bogdan's departure would be "well received by the market as it would give hope of a step forward in reforms - which at this stage seem to be running into sand", said Timothy Ash, a senior emerging markets strategist at Bluebay Asset Management. Critics said at the time that Bogdan's appointment was not just politically suspect but also illegal, as he had held government posts under the ousted pro-Russian former president Viktor Yanukovych. He was replaced by Yermak, a close Zelensky ally who was also Kiev's pointman on Russia and other international negotiations. Yermak helped negotiate a long-awaited prisoner swap with Moscow that saw the two countries exchange 70 detainees last year. He was also one of Kiev's contacts for Rudy Giuliani, US President Donald Trump's personal attorney. Yermak, 48, is a former lawyer and film producer. Yermak told Ukrainian magazine Novoye Vremya in January that he did not care about posts. "I totally rely on him (Zelensky) here," he said. "I'll be where he needs me most." ant-osh/as/jxb
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