President Poroshenko signs decree on dismissal of Ukraine Security Service head

President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has signed a draft decree on dismissal of Valentin Nalyvaichenko, the head of Ukraine’s Security Service, on June 18, according to the Ukrainian parliament website. 

Earlier, on Wednesday, Markian Lubkovsky, advisor to Ukraine’s Security Service, posted on Facebook that he would not write an application for Nalyvaichenko’s dismissal. “Tomorrow’s voting will be a tough test for the Ukrainian MPs, as, in fact, Nalyvaichenko is not the problem,” Lubkovsky wrote.

According to Ukrainian media, the deputies – members of the parliament coalition from “UDAR” (Ukrainian Democratic Alliance for Reform) may vote for resignation of the Security Service chief, though earlier, Leader of the Party Vitali Klitschko opposed it. Samopomich Union party’s parliamentary faction is also keen to support Nalyvaichenko’s dismissal, Deputy Head of the faction Yegor Sobolev said calling to fire everyone who fails the tasks of the fight. “The next are Victor Shokin and Arsen Avakov,” he said.

As to the Batkivshchyna party, it will decide upon Nalyvaichenko’s dismissal only after meeting with him, Ivan Krulko, people’s deputy told 5 TV. He said even if Rada does not support Nalyvaichenko’s dismissal, he must leave anyway. A stalemate in condition of war is impossible.

Earlier, Yuri Lutsenko, leader of Petro Poroshenko Bloc’s parliamentary faction said the president suggested Nalyvaichenko “to head another field,” but he said after a while he would engage in politics. 

“We will not adopt any decision on Nalyvaichenko’s dismissal until we meet with him and until the chairman of the faction meets with the president,” Krulko said.

By unofficial data of the Ukrainian media, the conflict between the president and the chief of the Security Council is linked to Nalyvaichenko’s close ties with oligarch Dmitry Firtash, on the one hand, and his alleged attempts to expose the corrupt officials that make up the president’s inner circle, on the other hand. Media and politicians consider Nalyvaichenko’s deputy, the head of the Anti-Terrorism Center of Ukraine’s Security Council Vasily Gritsak and Deputy Head of the President’s Administration Andrey Taranov as the most likely candidates for the post of the Security Service chief.

It is noteworthy that no one in Kiev is concerned over the fact that Valentin Nalyvaichenko is a CIA officer. Ex-head of Ukraine’s Security Service Alexander Yakimenko says Nalyvaichenko was recruited by U.S. Central Intelligence Agency when he was Consul General of the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.