Ukraine

• Pres. Zelensky shook up leadership in his security service (SBU) and prosecutor-general’s office, firing the heads of both agencies – who were Ukraine’s top two law enforcement officials.
• Zelensky said more than 60 officials in the two agencies were found to be collaborating with Russia in the Donbas, and noted that another nearly 600 alleged treason cases had been opened against other officials.
• That said, analysts suggest the leadership shakeup was less of a witch hunt for traitors and more of an effort to replace officials who were not up to the task – like Zelensky’s childhood friend who was heading the SBU – with more experienced leaders.

Azerbaijan

• European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen is traveling to Azerbaijan this week to discuss a mooted plan to boost Azerbaijan’s natural gas exports to Europe via an expanded pipeline.

Libya

• PM Dbeibah said Libya’s oil exports are on track to resume under the new leadership of Farhat bin Qadara, who Dbeibah appointed as National Oil Corp. (NOC) chairman last week.
• However, longtime NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla is refusing to step down, so there are currently two NOC chairmen – as well as two PMs – and neither is going to be able to expand exports until their power struggle is resolved.

Piracy

• The International Maritime Bureau issued its biannual report on piracy, which reported zero incidents of kidnapping for ransom in the first half of 2022. Analysts say that’s a good sign that anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Guinea have worked.