Zelensky fires prosecutor general and head of the domestic security service

The Office of the President published a statement by Volodymyr Zelensky about the sacking of the key figures. Zelensky said he issued executive orders to dismiss the head of the domestic security agency (SBU) Ivan Bakanov, a childhood friend of Zelensky, and Prosecutor General Iryna Vediktova, who was at the forefront of the effort to prosecute Russian war crimes in Ukraine. 

The Ukrainian President announced that more than 650 cases of treason and collaboration had been opened against prosecutorial and law enforcement officials and more than 60 officials in the two agencies were confirmed to be working against Ukraine in Russian-occupied territories.

“Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the national security of the state pose very serious questions to the relevant leaders," Zelensky said, wowing that “Each of these questions will receive a proper answer.”

Zelensky appointed Oleksiy Symonenko as the new prosecutor general. The Ukrainian President’s pick to run the domestic security apparatus was not immediately clear.