According to the Ukrainian President, 651 cases of betrayal and collaboration concern prosecutors and law enforcement officials, and around sixty civil servants work against Ukraine, in the territories occupied by Russia.
Le Monde with AFP
The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed the country’s general prosecutor on Sunday July 17 and the country’s security services due to suspicions of betrayal of some of their subordinates for the benefit of the Russians, on the eve of a meeting EU aimed at strengthening sanctions against Moscow.
“I made the decision to take up their functions the general prosecutor” Iryna Venediktova, “and the head of the security services” (SBU) Ivan Bakanov, said Mr. Zelensky, while Russia continues its bombings on several Ukrainian cities.
The ordinances dismiss the head of SBU Ivan Bakanov, childhood friend of Zelensky, and the prosecutor General Irina Venediktova, who had initiated prosecution for Russian war crimes in Ukraine, were published on the official website of the president . In a message posted via Telegram, Zelensky explains that he has dismissed senior officials due to the collaboration with Russia many members of their agencies. According to Volodymyr Zelensky, around sixty officials of the Bakanov and Venediktova agencies work against Ukraine, in the territories occupied by Russia. It would be a total of 651 cases of betrayal and collaboration that would concern prosecutors and law enforcement officials.
“Each of these questions will receive an answer”
“Such a range of crimes against the foundations of national security (…) asks very serious questions to the leaders concerned,” said the Ukrainian president. “Each of these questions will receive an appropriate answer,” he added.
Volodimir Zelensky appointed Oleksy Symonenko New Attorney General in a decree that was also published on the president’s website. “Such a large number of crimes against national security foundations and the links established between Ukrainian officials in charge of the application of laws and the Russian special services ask very serious questions to the leaders concerned. Each of these questions will receive a answer, “he continued.
Ms. Venediktova notably led the investigation into the alleged atrocities committed at the start of the invasion by the Russian forces in the city of Boutcha, suburbed in the northwest of kyiv, which became in the eyes of the West a symbol of “Russian war crimes” in Ukraine.