“What if he/she was a traitor?” — this thought must torment many Ukrainians, from the highest levels of government to the smallest corners of everyday life. What if this or that official was in fact collaborating with Moscow? What if the neighbor was secretly waiting for the arrival of the “liberators”? The poison of suspicion now spares no one in Ukraine. In total, there are 651 cases opened on charges of treason and collaboration with the enemy against prosecutors and law enforcement officials.
This number was too high for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky: on 17 July, the head of state dismissed Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and Security Service Chief Ivan Bakanov, citing the accusations of collaboration within their respective agencies. The announcement came as a surprise. Venediktova had become the spearhead of the Ukrainian justice system, eager to investigate Russian war crimes. As for Bakanov, he is none other than the president’s childhood friend.
Politico had the scoop on Bakanov’s dismissal at the end of June, pointing to the SBU’s numerous shortcomings, including accusations of failing to accurately anticipate the Russian offensive and, above all, of being infested with collaborators. The fall of the strategic city of Kherson, which local SBU officials seemingly abandoned, is perhaps the most cited example.
Bakanov has been the focus of criticism ever since. However, it is not his loyalty that is questioned, but rather his ability to preside effectively in times of war (recalling that at the time of his appointment in 2019, he also came under heavy criticism for his lack of experience).
Additionally, Ukrainska Pravda, emphasizes the famously troubled relationship Bakanov had with Andriy Yermak, Zelensky’s chief of staff and confidant. According to the newspaper, the dismissals are more a matter of political logic, and speak to the hyper-concentration of power in the hands of the president during the war. In this vertical of power Yermak plays a fundamental role. Indeed, as Ukrainska Pravda underscores, the chief of staff is seemingly everywhere — even after weathering the “Wagnergate” scandal, where his detractors accused him of serving Moscow’s interests.
