Monday, July 18, 2022

"Ukraine war: Zelensky suspends security chief and top prosecutor"

Purge time in old Kyiv.

From the BBC, July 18:

President Volodymyr Zelensky has suspended the head of Ukraine's spy agency (SBU) and the prosecutor general, citing many cases of treason in the two powerful organisations.

He said more than 60 former employees were now working against Ukraine in Russian-occupied areas.

A total of 651 collaboration and treason cases had been opened against law enforcement officials, he added.

The officials, Ivan Bakanov and Iryna Venediktova, have not commented.

In a video address late on Sunday, Mr Zelensky said: "Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the national security of the state... pose very serious questions to the relevant heads [of the two organisations]."

"Each of these questions will receive a proper answer," the Ukrainian president added.

In a later appearance on Ukrainian TV, Andriy Smirnov, one of Mr Zelensky's top advisers, clarified that the officials have not been fired, as initially suggested, but merely removed pending an investigation....

....MUCH MORE