President Zelensky Orders Ukrainian State Guard Service To Clean Up After Murder Plan

President Zelensky when introducing Colonel Oleksii Morozov. (Source: President.gov.ua)

JAKARTA - President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the new head of Ukraine's state guard service to clear his ranks of those who discredited the service after two of his officers were accused of planning the murder of senior officials.

Introducing Colonel Oleksii Morozov to staff on Monday, President Zelensky said his main task was to ensure only those who saw their future linked to Ukraine joining the agency, his first comments since the agents were arrested.

"And, of course, the agency must be cleared of anyone who chooses not Ukraine for themselves or discredits state guard services," he said on Telegram.

The State Security Service (SBU) said last month it had arrested two escorting service colonels accused of collaborating with Russia to plan the assassination of President Zelensky and a number of other top officials, including military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov.

This guard force provides security for various government officials.

"In addition, the agency needs to modernize its structure and operations to meet wartime requirements. The new head has full authority to make these changes. We need a new approach to work with personnel, without sovietism," President Zelensky said, citing the President.gov.ua website.

This includes improving combat readiness and mobilizing personnel and a new approach to recruiting staff for the Department, improving the material and technical bases, as well as Department training, such as creating its own training ground and a modern Security Specialist Training Center at the State Protection Department Institute.

President Zelensky sacked Morozov's predecessor, Serhiy Rud, in May, two days after SBU detained an agency employee who he said worked for Russia's Federal Security Service and leaked classified information. There was no comment from Moscow.