Ukraine's Zelenskyy fires top security officials amid crackdown on 'treason': Report

Ukraine's embattled President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Monday reportedly fired the heads of three regional offices of the country's Security Service (SBU). This came after the President dismissed the top official in the agency over treason. According to Russian state media RT, the top security officials in Kyiv, Lviv and Ternopil regions were fired by presidential decree and a new leader was immediately appointed to the Kyiv office of the SBU. However, the other two agents are yet to be revealed. 

Zelenskyy has been scrutinising the security agencies since mid-July when he dismissed the head of SBU, Ivan Bakanov along with his deputy and four other regional SBU heads. He also removed Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Irina Venediktova claiming that the sudden dismissals were due to rampant “treason” under the leadership of officials. 

Zelenskyy urges people with 'Russian citizenship' to criticise war

Meanwhile, as the ruthless war between Moscow and Kyiv continues unabated, Zelenskyy called on those having Russian citizenship to raise their voice against the ongoing war. During his daily night address, Zelenskyy, on Sunday, said, “If you have Russian citizenship and you are silent, it means that you are not fighting, it means that you are supporting it.” He added, “No matter where you are - both on the territory of Russia and abroad - your voice should sound in support of Ukraine, and therefore against this war.” 

In his speech, Zelenskyy reiterated that Ukraine has always desired peace and has frequently made the Russian leadership an offer to resolve the conflict and liberate Ukrainian territory from occupation in various discussion forms. However, as of now, the Ukrainian President said Russia continues to support terrorism, holds on to its propaganda illusions, and continues to remain hopeful that it may allegedly do something through various sorts of blackmail. 

As the Russia-Ukraine war entered Day 172 on Monday, Zelenskyy urged that they must protect themselves and must respond to every act of violence and instance of bombardment. “We must fight at all levels and on all fronts, strengthen our state as much as possible, preserve our unity and attract even more countries to our anti-war coalition,” he noted. 

(Image: AP)