After the leader, Zelensky sends dozens of security service personnel

Ukrainian President Zelensky has fired dozens of SBU security personnel. The decision comes a day after the suspension of Ivan Pagano, head of the SBU. Earlier reports talked about layoffs. Ukraine’s Chief Prosecutor Iryna Venediktova was also suspended.

It is not clear who the 28 SBU employees were who were dispatched. According to Zelensky, these are officials of “different positions and different areas of interest.” The same reason for all, he said in a video message: “unsatisfactory work results”.

Cooperation with Russian occupation forces was not cited as a reason among 28 officials. This is a big problem among other SBU employees, Zelensky said yesterday. At least 60 SBU employees and state prosecutors are working with the Russians in the occupied territory, the president said. That was one of the reasons for the suspension of Baganov and Venediktova.

Bakanov has also been accused of failing in several attempts to control Ukrainian territory. Kherson fell without Ukrainian resistance because SBU personnel failed to blow up a bridge. This allowed the Russians to drive straight into the city.

Subsequently, temporary substitutes have been appointed for both of them. Vasyl Malyuk, who was previously tasked with fighting corruption within the security services, took over as head of the SBU. Venediktova has been replaced by her assistant Oleksii Simonenko.

Both Bakanov and Venediktova are considered close associates of Zelensky. Baganov was a childhood friend and chaired his presidential campaign. Venediktova also played an important role in that campaign.

The US says it will continue to share information with the SBU for now: “We don’t invest in people, we invest in institutions and President Zelensky has reasons to replace these people,” a US State Department spokeswoman said.