Guest
Amid the ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, the Kiev regime executed a crackdown on top security officials. The President of Ukraine Zelensky dismissed the head of the country’s Security Service (SBU) Ivan Bakanov for non-fulfillment of duties that entailed human casualties. Ukrainian Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova was also dismissed from her post. Zelensky accused officials of betrayal as there is a large number of cases of treason and collaboration with Russian special services in Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. 651 criminal cases have already been launched. The trigger for the personnel sweep was likely the recent strike of Russian missiles at the Officers’ House in the city of Vinnytsia, at a time Ukrainian and foreign military officials held negotiations there. As a result of the strike, a large group of high-ranking officers of the Ukrainian Air Force were destroyed. Apparently, the strike led to casualties among the foreign officers, and Kiev was forced by its western partners to punish top security officials who were responsible for the leak of information. This led to the resignation of the head of the SBU. However, one should not expect that the changes in the Security Service of Ukraine may somehow improve the situation in the country and push Ukraine towards its democratic European dream. Both the former and the future heads of the service dealt with criminal activity. In early June, a former deputy of Bakanov was detained in Serbia, he tried to illegally transfer emeralds, 600 thousand euros and 125 thousand dollars across the border. Shortly before the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, Bakanov and his friend left Ukraine with 2 billion dollars in cash. Two months ago Bakanov returned to Ukraine, and his deputy continued buying real estate in Europe. The deputy head of the security service Vasily Malyuk was appointed as the new acting chief of the Security service. The new official is closely connected with the head of the president’s office. Vasily Malyuk’s past is carefully hidden by the SBU. Apparently, not in vain. During his service, he did not file income declarations. He is accused of the smuggling and illegal sale of amber, granite rocks and wood from the Ukrainian Zhytomyr region. Being in a high position in the SBU, he made illegal decisions and covered up smuggling to and from the country. He was also accused of ordering numerous tortures. Despite the dubious biographies of top Ukrainian officials, the United States has already hastened to declare that it will continue to cooperate with the SBU and the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine, despite the resignations of the leadership.
