Problems Zelensky Faces As He Fires Officials Over Russia 'Collaboration'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signaled Sunday that his administration is facing turmoil, as he suspended the head of Ukraine's spy agency (SBU) and the prosecutor general, citing suspected treason.

Zelensky said in a video address to the nation that he is probing over 650 cases of suspected treason and aiding and abetting Russia by Ukrainian law enforcement officials, and that there are 60 cases in which officials are "working against our state."

Prosecutor general Iryna Venediktova and security chief Ivan Bakanov had been suspended, Zelensky said.

"Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the state's national security, and the links recorded between Ukrainian security forces and Russian special services raise very serious questions about their respective leaders," he said.

It's one of many issues the Ukrainian leader is currently facing, nearly five months into Vladimir Putin's war, and as the conflict ramps up in the battle for Ukraine's Donbas region.

Weapons

Zelensky and his aides have appealed for more weapons from the West in recent weeks, as Putin's forces seek to capture Ukraine's Luhansk and Donetsk regions in full.

Over the past three weeks, Washington has provided Kyiv with $2.2 billion in military assistance, according to the U.S. Defense Department. Supplies provided since the Russian invasion began on February 24 include anti-aircraft systems, tactical drones, rocket systems, howitzers and artillery rounds.

The U.S. has also sent Ukraine M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems—known as HIMARS—which Ukrainian presidential adviser and peace talks negotiator Mykhailo Podolyak named on July 9 as one of three weapons Ukraine needs to achieve "a turning point in the war."

HIMARS was developed in the late 1990s for the U.S. Army, and missiles fired from the system have a range of some 50 miles. Ukrainians remain frustrated at the pace of delivery, however, as only four out of a promised 12 HIMARS have made it to Kyiv so far.

Propaganda and Disinformation

On Saturday, Zelensky warned Ukrainians to be wary of Russian propaganda, disinformation and the "media terror" surrounding Putin's invasion.

Russian officials and propagandists are creating "horror stories" and twisting information, he said.

"This sometimes takes on simply unhealthy forms when social networks and websites deliberately stuff fake information from Russia, the purpose of which is only one – to add media terror to the missile and artillery terror against our country," Zelensky said.

"It is obvious that any missiles and artillery of Russia will not succeed in breaking our unity and knocking us off our path," he added. "And it should be equally obvious that Ukrainian unity cannot be broken by lies or intimidation, fake information or conspiracy theories."

Key Ally

Zelensky lost a key ally when the U.K.'s Boris Johnson announced his pending resignation as British Prime Minister on July 7. Johnson has been one of Kyiv's most vocal supporters in the face of Putin's invasion, providing £3.8 billion ($4.6 billion) in support for Ukraine.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Podolyak has called Johnson "a hero," while Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described him as "a man of no fear, ready to take risks for the cause he believes in."

Ian Bond, the director of foreign policy at the Center for European Reform, said he is hopeful that in policy terms, Johnson stepping down will not make a "dramatic difference" to the U.K.'s policy towards Ukraine.

"I don't see anyone among the leading candidates who can be regarded as having problematic views on Russia," he told the Kyiv Independent. "I am confident that the U.K. will continue strongly to support Ukraine, whoever leads the U.K. government."

Newsweek has contacted Ukraine's foreign ministry for comment.