Update (1818 EST): More than 60 SBU and Prosecutors Office personnel are apparently under investigation for collaboration with the Russian Federation, prompting the sacking of the two aforementioned officials.
Ivan Bakanov, the leader of Ukraine’s Security Service and Iryna Venediktova, the Prosecutor General have been dismissed from their posts, per decrees from the President of Ukraine.
The messages read:
“On the removal of I. Bakanov from the duties of the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine:
Pursuant to Article 47 of the Disciplinary Statute of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, approved by the Law of Ukraine dated March 24, 1999 No. 551-XIV, remove Ivan Gennadiyovych BAKANOV from the duties of the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine.
He has been the SBU Chief since August of 2019. Article 47 reads: “Failure (improper performance) of official duties, which led to human casualties or other grave consequences or created a threat of such consequences, is grounds for removing such a serviceman from the performance of official duties.”
And for Venediktova:
”On removal from the position of the Prosecutor General
In accordance with the second part of Article 11 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law”, I decree:
Remove VENEDIKTOVA Iryna Valentinivna from the post of Prosecutor General.
She was suspended from her post in accordance with the second part of Article 11 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law”.
Oleksiy Symonenko has been assigned the duties of the Prosecutor General. These dismissals come a week after the firing of several ambassadors.
