Serious allegations of collaboration with the Russians
Selenski fires secret service chief and attorney general for high treason
Serious allegations: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has fired two key figures in his security services. You are accused of high treason. There are apparently hundreds of criminal cases against employees who are said to be collaborators with the Russians.
Published: 07/18/2022 at 00:22
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Updated: 02:03 AM
Treason in the security apparatus: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (44) fired two key figures in his security agencies on Sunday: the charge against the Attorney General and the head of the domestic intelligence service (SBU) was high treason. Hundreds of employees in their ranks are collaborators with the Russians.
The dismissal of Attorney General Iryna Venediktova (43) and head of the secret service Ivan Bakanov (47) not only marks the biggest change in Zelensky’s government apparatus since the beginning of the Russian invasion on February 24. The crackdown also speaks of the high pressure that Selenski is under.
Bakanov is a childhood friend of the President. Their friendship goes back decades. Selenski’s close companion has headed the secret service since 2019. Venediktova, on the other hand, was seen as a beacon of hope. She was the first woman to be appointed chief prosecutor in the country.
treason
Now the two are accused of high treason. The exact allegations are not available in detail, but there are numerous investigations into treason. Law enforcement officials, including the Attorney General’s Office and the Secret Service, are said to be Russian collaborators.
There are 651 criminal cases against employees of the public prosecutor’s office and other law enforcement agencies for treason and collaboration with Russian services, Zelensky said in a short television speech on Sunday evening.
More than 60 employees of the Ukrainian secret service and the general prosecutor’s office are said to have switched sides and are working for Russia. In 198 cases, those affected were informed that they were under suspicion.
martial law
Selensky spoke of “uncovered connections between the employees of the Ukrainian security forces and the Russian special services”. Bakanov and Venediktova are not themselves accused of being collaborators. But “such a series of crimes against the foundations of national security of the state,” says Zelenski, “raises very serious questions for the responsible leadership.”
Selenski accuses the fired high state officials of “non-performance of official duties”, “which led to human casualties or other serious consequences”. In times of war, high treason usually means death. Martial law gives the military expanded rights and restricts civil liberties. (kes)