Thug Life

Ultra-competitive Ukraine-style politics

Ivan Bakanov (center) was dismissed as head of Ukraine’s State Security Service on July 17, 2022

No one knows what Ivan Bakanov actually did as head of Ukraine’s State Security Service, but we all suspected he wasn’t very good at it.

The same goes for Ukraine’s top cop, Iryna Venedyktova, whom Zelensky sacked the same day.

Despite flattering coverage in the Kyiv Post, Prosecutor General Iryna Venedyktova was sacked on July 17, 2022

Venedyktova did not fix the Prosecutor General’s Office or root out endemic corruption. She instead spent a lot of time harrassing former President Petro Poroshenko and Zelensky’s critics, including the puppy-dog editor of the Kyiv Post with the gruff exterior, who was forced to publish glowing ariticles about her hard work¹².

In other news, Natasha from Fred’s dream factory ISW babbles about what Russia’s further invasion plans might be. We all recall ISW’s pre-invasion assessment of Putin as a rational actor and the war-adjacent content milling of other Beltway-based experts³.

1. Something Really Dangerous. Venedyktova promises 'quick action' in cases against Poroshenko (March 18, 2000)

2. Ukraine’s Goat with Teeth. Now a laff riot of boo and petopia (December 14, 2021)

3. Ignore Experts. Stay away from analysts (June 18, 2022)