Zelenskyy Fires Top Officials Over Russian Treason Claims

Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired the head of Ukraine’s powerful security agency as well as the country’s chief prosecutor, citing multiple cases of treason and collaboration with Russia in their departments.

Zelenskyy announced the shock sackings on his official Telegram account over the weekend, saying that 651 cases of alleged treason and collaboration had been opened against prosecution and law-enforcement agencies. He added that more than 60 people working under Iryna Venediktova and Ivan Bakanov, the two dismissed officials, were actively working against Ukraine.

“Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the national security of the state and the connections detected between the employees of the security forces of Ukraine and the special services of Russia pose very serious questions to the relevant leadership,” he said.

“Each of these questions will receive a proper answer."

Venediktova, the Prosecutor General, had been a star in Zelenskyy’s administration, and featured in multiple interviews showing how Kyiv was being quick to compile evidence of alleged Russian war crimes committed during its brutal war in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Bakanov, the now former head of the State Security Service, the SBU, is a childhood friend of Zelenskyy’s. 

Disloyal senior SBU officials have been blamed for Russia being able to swiftly seize control of parts of the south of Ukraine –

the way that Vladimir Putin’s troops were able to capture the city of Kherson is believed to be of particular concern to Zelenskyy. 

The former SBU chief of Crimea was also arrested over the weekend.

Zelenskyy hinted that he would be taking further action as part of a wider crackdown. 

“The specific actions and any inaction of each official in the security sector and in law enforcement agencies will be evaluated. The corresponding inspection of law enforcement agencies has already yielded the first results and will be continued,” he said.