The Ministry of Culture urgently dismissed Serhii Bykov from the position of acting director of the newly created Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security. The reason is the resonance in society caused by Bykov's previous statements, which contradict the national interests of Ukraine.
Minister of Culture and Information Policy Mykola Tochytskyi explained that Bykov's appointment was of a "technical nature" necessary for the re-registration of the structure. He noted:
"Acting the director was dismissed by order of the ICSC. He was appointed to this position for a technical purpose."
Despite such assurances, the fact that Bykov was in office even for one day caused a wave of indignation.
Who is Serhii Bykov?
Bykov is known for his scandalous statements that raise questions about his loyalty to the state interests of Ukraine. Among other things:
- He called the Revolution of Dignity a "coup d'état".
- He denied the presence of Russian troops in the occupied territories of Donbass.
- He insisted on an amnesty for the militants and proposed to implement the "Medvedchuk peace plan".
- He called for the release of Oleksandr Efremov, the former leader of the Party of Regions faction.
Such positions caused public indignation, especially in the conditions of the war with Russia.
Bykov's appointment took place simultaneously with the renaming of the Scientific Center for Tourism Development to the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security. However, this event only strengthened suspicions about the policy of personnel decisions of the Ministry of Culture.
This case is not the only one when personnel decisions of state structures become a source of public resonance. In August, the appointment of Roman Hladky as chief of staff of the Command of the Forces of Unmanned Systems of the Armed Forces of Ukraine caused outrage because of his family's ties to Russia. Hladky's release was delayed for several months.
