As Russia continues its military advance in eastern Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday fired his state security chief and prosecutor general, citing hundreds of criminal proceedings into treason and collaboration by people within their departments and other law enforcement agencies.
“In particular, more than 60 employees of the prosecutor’s office and the SBU (state security service) have remained in the occupied territory and work against our state,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address to the nation.
“Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the state’s national security, and the links recorded between Ukrainian security forces and Russian special services raise very serious questions about their respective leaders,’’ he added.
Zelenskyy dismissed Ivan Bakanov, a childhood friend and former business partner whom he had appointed to head the SBU. Bakanov had come under growing criticism over security breaches since the war began.
He also dismissed Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, and replaced her with her deputy Oleksiy Symonenko. Venediktova had been leading war crime investigations against Russia.
On July 9, Zelenskyy had announced the sacking of Ukraine’s ambassadors to Germany, India, Czech Republic, Norway and Hungary without stating any reason behind the move.