After the scandal, the Ministry of Culture has dismissed the head of the Strategic Communications Center, Bykov.

Serhiy Bykov, who was appointed as the acting head of the Center for Strategic Communications only on December 6, has been dismissed from his position. This occurred following a scandal that erupted, with the official being accused of connections to Viktor Medvedchuk, a confidant of the Russian ruler.

The news of Bykov's dismissal was shared on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) by Mykola Tochitsky, the Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine. He noted that the public outcry regarding the situation was the reason for the dismissal. He also emphasized that Bykov's appointment was made purely for technical reasons.

"Regarding the discussions in the public domain, I state:
the appointment of the acting director of the 'Scientific Center for Tourism Development' was carried out for the technical purpose of re-registration to the 'Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security'. The acting director was dismissed by order of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications," the message reads.

What People Are Saying About Bykov

Serhiy Bykov positions himself as a political consultant. He was appointed as the acting head of the Center for Strategic Communications only on December 6. At that time, the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications renamed the 'Scientific Center for Tourism Development' to the 'Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security'. This appointment sparked a genuine scandal online.

It became known that Bykov referred to the Revolution of Dignity as a "coup d'état" and called for the release of former head of the 'Party of Regions' faction, Oleksandr Yefremov, from custody. He also openly supported the traitor Viktor Medvedchuk and suggested implementing his "peace plan" instead of cooperating with the EU and the USA. Furthermore, Bykov stated the necessity of negotiations with the so-called leaders of the LPR and DPR.

Bykov's Reaction to the Scandal

Following the scandal and accusations of pro-Russian stance, Serhiy Bykov made a post on his Facebook page. He refuted all claims and emphasized that his priority is Ukraine's victory. He stated that all accusations are untrue and are fake.

The official urged Ukrainians to verify information and said he intends to continue helping our state strengthen its information resilience. He claims to have participated in forming a database of Russian agents of hybrid influence in sports in collaboration with the Center for Counteracting Disinformation under the National Security and Defense Council. However, this information has not been confirmed.

Previously, Informator reported that the director of the National Museum of History of Ukraine fled abroad. He went on a business trip, utilizing a permit for cultural figures. Later, it became known that Fedir Androshchuk went missing somewhere at an exhibition in Lithuania.

The Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications Mykola Tochitsky acknowledged that one in five artists, for whom leaving Ukraine was officially permitted by the Ministry of Culture, did not return. There is currently no database to track which cultural figures have remained outside Ukraine and which have not. Consequently, a significant amount of time is spent searching for those artists who have violated the law.