The dismissals also show how Ukraine, which relies on the help of Western countries, wants to appear to the West, writes Maxim Fedorov, ‘s Ukrainan reporter.
KIEV President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi announced on Sunday evening that he had dismissed the Attorney General Iryna Venediktova and having suspended the head of the security service Ivan Bakanov.
According to Zelensky, the decision was primarily influenced by the fact that a significant number of employees of the two agencies headed by them are accused of treason. At least 60 employees of the prosecutor’s office and the security service have remained in the territories occupied by Russia. They are currently in the hands of Russia and are working against Ukraine, Zelenskyi said.
The high-level firings say a lot about Ukraine’s internal power structure and Zelenskyi’s strong role.
At the same time, they also tell about how Ukraine wants to present itself to Western countries.
Unlike Finland, Ukraine is a semi-presidential state. It means that the president of Ukraine has a lot of powers, which he also diligently uses.
Appointments are the most important means of exercising power, and this month Zelensky has had many posts in his sights.
In early July, the president fired Ukrainian ambassadors in no less than five countries. Among them was such an important country as Germany.
An experienced diplomat Andriy Melnyk had served as Ukraine’s ambassador to Germany since 2014. During the war, Melnyk has tried to influence German politicians by, among other things, accusing them of deliberately delaying arms deliveries.
But when the ambassador’s rhetoric started to become too flamboyant, Kiev began to wonder if he was doing more harm than good.
During World War II, Bandera led the organization of Ukrainian nationalists, which collaborated with the Nazis. He fought for Ukraine’s independence, but in Germany, Israel and Poland he is considered complicit in the deaths of thousands of Jews and Poles.
In Germany, Ambassador Melnyk’s statement caused a huge scandal and led to his resignation.
Ivan Bakanov, who received his departure passes on Sunday, is Zelenskyi’s childhood friend and business partner. Bakanov had to reform and modernize the Ukrainian security service. Apparently, not everything went smoothly if the agency’s employees defected to Russia.
By handing out kicks, Zelenskyi shows above all, that he is ready for tough decisions and doesn’t even spare his friends.
It is important for Zelensky to separate himself from Russia, where the president Vladimir Putin does not usually fire an official loyal to him for failure. When the Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hinted Adolf Hitler had Jewish blood, he kept his post, even though Putin had to apologize to Israel for the minister’s words.
It does not matter to the president of Ukraine how Ukraine appears to the outside world at a time when the country’s existence depends a lot on the help of Western countries.
State prosecutor Venediktova, for example, tried to put a stop to many anti-corruption investigations. This is not considered good in Europe now that Ukraine has the status of an EU candidate.
Zelensky’s role in Ukrainian politics during the war has strengthened and at the same time his popularity among the people.
Despite the poll numbers, one thing is certain: Ukrainians will not allow anyone to develop into an autocrat.