Andriy Kislinsky A top Ukrainian state security official was sacked on Wednesday after reports he used a forged diploma from a prestigious university to further his career.

The dismissal of Andriy Kislinsky came in a decree signed by President Viktor Yushchenko for whom he worked as an adviser and top administrator until his appointment three months ago as a deputy head of the SBU state security service.

The decree gave no reason for his dismissal.

But, this week an investigating commission headed by the education minister said Kislinsky had never studied at Kiev state university despite having a diploma that appeared to show he graduated from its history faculty.

SBU chief Valentin Nalivaychenko subsequently recommended to Yushchenko that he be sacked. Kislinsky on Wednesday maintained his qualifications were genuine and alleged he was the victim of a political conspiracy. "Yes. I received higher education at Kiev national university," he told the online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda.