After a series of failed operations and the loss of the city of Kherson, Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to sack the head of Ukraine’s internal intelligence service. His childhood friend Ivan Bakanov is to be “replaced by a more suitable person”.
The head of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) Ivan Bakanov is currently under criticism. “We are very dissatisfied with his work and are working to get rid of him,” a senior Ukrainian official who is in close contact with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Politico. He elaborated: “We are not satisfied with his management skills, because now you need anti-crisis management skills and we don’t think he has them.”
Bakanov failed to respond appropriately to the February 24 Russian invasion. In addition, Ivan Bakanov is accused of serious negligence in dealing with his 30,000 agents. As a consequence, according to the report, he should now vacate his post.
Zelenskyy now only speaks to Bakanov when it comes to important government matters. Both have known each other since childhood, went to the same school and, via detours, have made a career together in politics.
In Ukraine Zelenskyj first made a name for himself as a comedian and actor in the television series “Servant of the People”. Bakanow was always at his side as the head of the production company Studio Kwartal 95 GmbH and supported both the TV series and Zelenskyj’s later presidential campaign. Under him, Bakanov has now made it to the top of the security service.
But now the Ukrainian President wants to “replace Bakanov with a more suitable person”. The head of the SBU is unable to cope with the current crises and challenges, writes “Politico” and cites four officials from Selenskyi’s close circle and a Western diplomat.
However, the Ukrainian government is not only concerned about the security service because of Bakanov. As the paper writes, the focus is also on decisions made by several high-ranking officials in the first hours and days of the Russian invasion, which could have cost the country valuable territory. This also includes the strategically important city of Cherson.
The former head of the SBU, Serhiy Kryvoruchko, is said to have evacuated the city before Russian troops marched into Cherson. Apparently, Kryvoruchko gave this order contrary to the instructions of the President.
During his visit to Kherson at the end of May, Zelenskyi already fired the local SBU chief, saying: “Because he has not worked to protect the city since the first days of the war, he only thought of himself.” The Ukrainian authorities have accused him of treason.
Now Selenskyi’s longtime friend is to be relieved of his post. When he was appointed in 2019, the Ukrainian opposition accused Bakanov of being unsuitable for the secret service post because of his professional career.
