The reason Zelenskyi said was the investigation of treason and cooperation with Russia in the territories occupied by the judicial authorities.
Prosecutor General of Ukraine Iryna Venediktova and the head of the security service Ivan Bakanov according to Zelenskyi, the background to the dismissal is investigations into treason and cooperation with Russia in the territories it has occupied.
Venediktova was appointed as the first woman to be the Attorney General of Ukraine in the spring of 2020. While in office, Venediktova came under severe criticism. He was criticized by anti-corruption activists and the media for not prosecuting high-profile cases. He was also accused of sabotaging corruption investigations targeting people close to President Zelensky.
Bakanov, a childhood friend and longtime employee of Zelenskyi, was appointed head of the security service in August 2019. Before entering politics, Bakanov was a lawyer and the top manager of Zelenskyi’s entertainment company Kvartal 95.
According to the decree published by the President’s Office on July 17, Venediktova’s deputy Symonenko admitted has been appointed as the new acting Attorney General. Bakanov’s replacement has not yet been announced.
Zelenskyi said that the actions and inactions of the country’s security service and judicial authorities will be investigated, and that 651 investigations have already been initiated against employees under judicial authorities. According to Zelensky, more than 60 employees of the security service or the attorney general’s office work in the occupied territories in cooperation with Russia.
– Such a large number of crimes against the national security of our country and the observed connections between the Ukrainian judicial authorities and Russian intelligence raise serious questions about the leadership of the parties in question. We will get proper answers to all these questions, Zelenskyi said in his speech.
Source: STT, Reuters, The Kyiv Independent