Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers an address from his Kyiv office, Ukraine, on July 17.
(President of Ukraine)
Two important figures in the Ukrainian government have been suspended after their leadership qualities came into question.
In his nightly video address on Sunday, Zelensky appeared to suggest that the pair had been fired. “Today I made a decision to remove the Prosecutor General from office and to dismiss the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine,” Zelensky said, adding that many officials within both departments were suspected of treason.
But Andrii Smyrnov, the deputy dead of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said Monday that the pair have been suspended to ensure they did not interfere with the investigations.
Zelensky will decide whether or not to submit a motion to dismiss them to Ukraine’s parliament, depending on the results of the probe.
The two suspended high-ranking officials are Iryna Venediktova — the Prosecutor General — and Ivan Bakanov — head of the powerful SBU or State Security Service, and a long-time associate of the Ukrainian president.
Zelensky said many officials within both departments are suspected of treason.
“As of today, 651 criminal proceedings have been registered regarding treason and collaboration activities of employees of prosecutor’s offices, pretrial investigation bodies, and other law enforcement agencies,” he said.
“In particular, more than 60 employees of the prosecutor’s office and the Security Service of Ukraine remained in the occupied territory and are working against our state.”
Explaining his decision, Zelensky said, “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. Each of these questions will receive a proper answer.”
Zelensky said the former head of the Main Directorate of the Security Service in Crimea had been detained on suspicion of treason.
“Everyone who together with him was part of a criminal group that worked in the interests of the Russian Federation will also be held accountable. It is about the transfer of secret information to the enemy and other facts of cooperation with the Russian special services.”
Senior officials in the SBU in southern Ukraine have been blamed for the ease with which Russian forces were able to capture large areas of the south within a week of the invasion.
Zelensky indicated there would be further action.
“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.”
Zelensky also said the prime minister would be tasked with intensifying the search for a new head of the National Anticorruption Bureau.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with the presidential adviser’s comments clarifying that the two staffers were suspended.