"Another important news about the Security Service of Ukraine is that a personnel audit in the service is underway, and the issue of dismissal of 28 officials is being decided. Different levels, different directions. But the grounds are similar — unsatisfactory results of work," Zelensky said on Telegram on Monday.
Ukrainian media reported on Monday that the former head of the SBU Crimea department Oleg Kulinich, who was detained on Saturday, was going to be held under arrest until September 13 without an alternative to bail.
On Sunday, Zelensky instructed Ukrainian Prime Minister Denis Shmygal to start the process of selecting a new head of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). Ukrainian media reported on Sunday that NABU Director Artem Sytnyk had been fired.
The Ukrainian leader also said that he had dismissed Prosecutor General of Ukraine Irina Venediktova, as well as the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ivan Bakanov, over state treason on the part of employees of their departments. Zelensky said the links detected between Ukraine law enforcement agencies and Russia's special services raise very serious questions for the relevant department heads.
Last month, Politico reported that Zelensky was getting ready to dismiss Bakanov after dissatisfaction with his work grew over Ukraine's massive territorial losses to Russia in Donbass.