The dismissals and resignations, of Zelensky’s deputy chief of employees Kyrylo Timoshenko, Deputy Protection Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov and Deputy Prosecutor Normal Oleksiy Symonenko, represented the largest shake-up within the nation’s management since Russia launched its full-scale invasion final February.
Different officers have been eliminated outright from their positions, together with a number of regional governors.
The elimination of Shapovalov was immediately linked to reviews within the Ukrainian media that Protection Ministry officers purchased meals for the army at costs triple these present in native shops.
The ministry has denied allegations of wrongdoing however welcomed Shapovalov’s resignation as a confidence-building measure.
In its official Telegram channel, the Protection Ministry stated Shapovalov “asked to be removed in order not to create threats to the stable support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” due to “accusations related to the procurement of food services.”
Nonetheless, the ministry additionally stated that the accusations have been “unfounded and baseless” and Shapovalov’s resignation was “a worthy act in the traditions of European and democratic politics.”
Different officers didn’t instantly give causes for his or her resignations.
Timoshenko, who was a key home adviser to Zelensky, thanked a listing of presidency businesses and officers, together with Zelensky for “the trust and the opportunity to do good deeds every day and every minute” however didn’t clarify his departure.
Native media, nonetheless, reported that his resignation was at the least partly the results of an investigation by Bihus.info, a neighborhood media outlet, which stated that Timoshenko had commandeered for his private use a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV that had been donated to the Ukrainian authorities for humanitarian assist operations.
The automotive was certainly one of 50 Tahoe autos that Normal Motors despatched to Ukraine earlier within the yr to assist distribute assist and to evacuate civilians from the battle zone. Timoshenko confirmed that he drove the automotive, however stated it was for official use.
Over the weekend, a deputy infrastructure minister, Vasyl Lozynsky, was dismissed in reference to a bribery case introduced by Ukraine’s anticorruption company.
Ukraine, beneath stress from america and particularly the European Union, has labored aggressively lately to curtail root out corruption that had lengthy been pervasive throughout the federal government. The brand new allegations are significantly delicate and troubling as a result of the nation, in wartime, has been completely reliant on donations from international international locations — in weapons to combat the Russian invasion, in addition to cash to maintain the economic system afloat.
In his common night tackle on Monday, Zelensky stated he had made “personnel decisions” within the nation’s “ministries, central government bodies, regions, and law enforcement system.”
He additionally stated that Ukrainian officers could be barred from touring overseas for holidays throughout wartime.
“If they want to rest now, they will rest outside the civil service,” Zelensky stated.
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