Yurii Shchyhol, Head of the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine, speaks during an interview with Reuters, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine September 22, 2023.
REUTERS/Ivan Lyubysh-Kirdey/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsKYIV, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine on Monday sacked two high-ranking cyber defence officials amid a probe into alleged embezzlement, a senior government official said.
Yurii Shchyhol, head of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP), and his deputy, Viktor Zhora, were dismissed by the government, Cabinet chief Taras Melnychuk wrote on Telegram.
The firings coincided with an announcement by anti-corruption prosecutors that they were investigating officials in cyber defence positions over their alleged roles in a six-person plot to embezzle 62 million UAH ($1.72 million) in 2021.
Reporting by Dan Peleschuk Editing by Bernadette BaumOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons:
Yurii Shchyhol, Ivan Lyubysh, Viktor Zhora, Taras Melnychuk, Dan Peleschuk, Bernadette Baum
Organizations:
State Service of, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Monday, State Service of Special Communications, Prosecutors, European Union, Thomson
Locations:
Ukraine, Kyiv