Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the evening of July 17 dismissed the country’s chief prosecutor and the head of the country’s security services on suspicion of treason by some of their subordinates in favor of the Russians, ahead of a meeting of the European Union to impose economic sanctions against Moscow.
“I have decided to relieve the Attorney General of his duties.” Irina Venediktova, “And the Chief of Security Services” (SBU) Ivan Bakanov, Mr. Zelensky said Russia continues to bomb several Ukrainian cities.
Orders to dismiss Zelensky’s childhood friend, SBU chief Ivan Baganov, and Prosecutor General Irina Venidiktova, who has been indicted for Russian war crimes in Ukraine, were posted on the president’s official website. In a message posted via Telegram, Zelensky explained that several members of their agencies had fired senior officials because of their cooperation with Russia. According to Volodymyr Zelensky, about 60 officers from Baganov and Venediktova’s agencies are working against Ukraine in Russian-occupied territories. This would make a total of 651 treason and collaboration cases involving prosecutors and law enforcement officials.
“Each of these questions will be answered”
“Such crimes against the foundation of the state’s national security (…) raise very serious questions for the leaders concerned”said the President of Ukraine. “Each of these questions will receive an appropriate answer.”he added.
Volodymyr Zelensky appointed Oleksy Symonenko as the new prosecutor in a decree published on the president’s website. “Such large-scale crimes against the foundations of national security and established links between Ukrainian law enforcement authorities and Russian special services raise very serious questions for the leaders involved. Each of these questions will be answered”He continued.
Ms Venediktova led the inquiry into alleged atrocities, particularly in the town of Bautza, a northwestern suburb of Kew, at the start of the invasion by Russian forces. “War Crimes” Russians in Ukraine.