Zelensky asks parliament to sack prosecutor general and security chief

KYIV: The two high-ranking officials were earlier suspended over claims of “rampant” treason in their agencies amid the conflict with Russia

The MPs said that they would consider the request to sack the SBU chief at the next parliamentary session.

Venediktova and Bakanov were suspended on Sunday over what Zelensky described as “rampant” treason in their agencies, with 651 criminal cases against prosecutor general’s office staff and SBU officers being launched.

Such a vast “array of crimes,” as well as contacts between “employees of law enforcement agencies of Ukraine and Russia,” raise “serious questions” for the two officials, the president insisted, warning that they won’t remain unanswered.

On Tuesday, the deputy head of Zelensky’s office, Andrey Smirnov, gave assurances that Venediktova and Bakanov could only be fired after all probes against them are concluded. He also suggested that the investigation could well end with the duo retaining their jobs.

Venediktova’s deputy, Aleksey Simonenko, has been assigned as caretaker prosecutor general, while the role of the acting SBU chief went to Vasily Malyuk, who also used to be the deputy head of the agency.