Ukraine's central bank governor resigns, citing health reasons

KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian Central Bank Governor Kyrylo Shevchenko abruptly submitted his resignation on Tuesday, citing health reasons in a Facebook post.

"Due to health-related issues that can no longer be ignored, I have made a difficult decision for myself. I am leaving the post of the head of Ukraine's National Bank," he said.

Shevchenko, who assumed the post in July 2020 promising to maintain the bank's independence and cooperation with the International Monetary Fund, said he had submitted his letter of resignation to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and asked him to accept it.

In resigning, he noted the bank's successes since the start of the war, including the uninterrupted operation of the financial system, its prevention of panic on the foreign exchange market and of large-scale capital outflow to protect reserves, and its efforts on the international level.

"The war was yet another difficult test for our team and for me personally. I think we have passed it with dignity," his Facebook post said.

"The central bank continues to serve as the foundation of economic recovery in the post-war period," he said. "Those who will come after me will find the banking system strong, well-capitalized and resilient."

(Reporting by Max Hunder; writing Tom Balmforth and Elaine Monaghan; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Lisa Shumaker)