Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired the head of the country’s security service and its prosecutor general on Sunday, citing hundreds of criminal proceedings into treason and collaboration by people within their departments.
“In particular, more than 60 employees of the prosecutor’s office and the [Security Service of Ukraine] have remained in the occupied territory and work against our state,” Zelenskyy said.
“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 said.
He dismissed Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova, and replaced her with her deputy Oleksiy Symonenko. He also dismissed Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine’s security service, the SBU. Bakanov was a long-time friend of Zelenskyy’s, according to Ukrainian news agencies.
Ivan Bakanov, the head of Ukraine’s security service, left, is seen with Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova at a news conference in Kyiv on May 11. Zelenskyy on Sunday dismissed them both. (Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters)
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