Ivan Bakanov is a Ukrainian politician. He served as the head of the Security Service of Ukraine from August 29, 2019, to July 17, 2022. Ivan was the leader of the Servant of the People party from 2017 to 2019. He was fired by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on July 17, 2022.  

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President Zelensky issued an executive order on July 17, 2022, sacking the head of Ukraine’s powerful domestic security agency, the SBU, and the prosecutor general. Zelensky mentioned that he has dismissed the top officials because many cases have come forth of the members of their agencies collaborating with Russia. Oleksiy Symonenko has been announced as the new prosecutor general. Bakanov’s replacement has not been announced yet. 

Zelensky’s childhood friend and long-term employee, Bakanov was appointed in August 2019. A lawyer by education, Bakanov worked for Zelensky’s entertainment company Kvartal 95. According to the Pandora Papers, published in 2019, he was also the owner of offshore companies linked to Zelensky. 

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Zelensky appointed Bakanov as the acting head of the Security Service of Ukraine when he became the president in May 2019. Bakanov was also made the agency chief when Zelensky won a majority in Parliament later in 2019. 

His three-year service as the head of Ukraine’s powerful institution was marred by controversy. The country’s foreign donors demanded sweeping reforms of the Security Service.  The secretive agency with vast powers is believed to be plagued by corruption. 

The decree that dismissed Bakanov mentioned that he was neglecting his duties, which led to human casualties or other serious consequences, according to the Disciplinary Statute of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. “Such an array of crimes against the foundations of the national security of the state … pose very serious questions to the relevant leaders,” Zelensky said.