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KYIV: Kyiv on Tuesday introduced the dismissal of a dozen high officers in its largest political shakeup following the nation’s first main corruption scandal linked to the Russian invasion.
Ukraine has lengthy suffered endemic corruption, however Moscow’s practically year-long full-scale struggle has overshadowed authorities efforts to stamp out graft.
Western allies, which have allotted billions of {dollars} in monetary and navy assist to Kyiv to counter Russian troops, have usually preconditioned such assist on anti-corruption reforms.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr zelenskyy mentioned in his night tackle on Tuesday that the clean-up was obligatory and that extra measures could be taken.
“It is fair, it is needed for our defence, and it helps our rapprochement with European institutions,” he mentioned. “We need a strong state, and Ukraine will be just that.”
Presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak mentioned zelenskyyy had targeted on “key priorities of the state” in dismissing the officers, who embody governors of areas which have seen heavy combating and deputy cupboard ministers.
“During the war, everyone should understand their responsibility,” Podolyak tweeted.
The shakeup got here after a Ukrainian deputy minister of growth of communities and territories, Vasyl Lozynskiy, was sacked on the weekend following his arrest on suspicion of embezzlement.
Pictures launched by the Nationwide Anti-Corruption Bureau confirmed stashes of money seized at Lozynskiy’s workplace.
The 36-year-old was accused of receiving a $400,000 bribe to “facilitate” the acquisition of turbines at inflated costs as Ukraine struggles with electrical energy shortages following Russian strikes on the power grid.
– ‘Good deeds’ – On Tuesday, key presidential aide Kyrylo Tymoshenko, who has labored with zelenskyy since his 2019 election, introduced his resignation.
The 33-year-old posted an image of himself holding a handwritten resignation letter, thanking the president for the “opportunity to do good deeds every day and every minute”.
Tymoshenko was implicated in a number of scandals, together with over the alleged private use final October of an SUV donated to Ukraine for humanitarian functions.
Oleg Nemchinov, a senior authorities official, additionally introduced the departure of 5 regional governors and 4 deputy ministers.
They embody the heads of the central Dnipropetrovsk area, the northeastern Sumy area, the southern areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, in addition to the area surrounding the capital Kyiv.
Nemchinov moreover introduced the dismissal of two deputy ministers of growth of communities and territories, and a deputy minister of social coverage.
The defence ministry individually introduced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who oversaw the military’s logistical assist.
It got here after the ministry was accused of signing meals contracts at costs two to a few occasions increased than present charges for primary foodstuffs.
– Spain vacation – The ministry insisted the accusations have been “unfounded and baseless” however mentioned Shapovalov’s departure would “preserve the trust of society and international partners”.
Deputy Prosecutor Normal Oleksiy Symonenko additionally resigned, following media stories that he had holidayed in Spain, reportedly utilizing a automobile belonging to a Ukrainian enterprise.
The USA welcomed the dismissals and mentioned that not one of the billions of {dollars} in US struggle help was identified to have been concerned.
“The Ukrainian people have been very clear about their desire for good governance and transparency,” mentioned State Division spokesman Ned Worth.
Regardless of being vocal about combating corruption, zelenskyy himself has been embroiled in corruption scandals up to now.
In 2021, the so-called Pandora Papers obtained by the Worldwide Consortium of Investigative Journalists mentioned zelenskyy used a community of offshore firms to purchase three upmarket properties in London.
His workplace mentioned on the time that zelenskyy, who’s a former actor and comic, created the offshore firms to guard himself in opposition to the “aggressive actions” of the “corrupt” regime of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Transparency Worldwide ranked Ukraine 122 out of 180 in its corruption rating for 2021.
Ukraine has lengthy suffered endemic corruption, however Moscow’s practically year-long full-scale struggle has overshadowed authorities efforts to stamp out graft.
Western allies, which have allotted billions of {dollars} in monetary and navy assist to Kyiv to counter Russian troops, have usually preconditioned such assist on anti-corruption reforms.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr zelenskyy mentioned in his night tackle on Tuesday that the clean-up was obligatory and that extra measures could be taken.
“It is fair, it is needed for our defence, and it helps our rapprochement with European institutions,” he mentioned. “We need a strong state, and Ukraine will be just that.”
Presidential aide Mykhaylo Podolyak mentioned zelenskyyy had targeted on “key priorities of the state” in dismissing the officers, who embody governors of areas which have seen heavy combating and deputy cupboard ministers.
“During the war, everyone should understand their responsibility,” Podolyak tweeted.
The shakeup got here after a Ukrainian deputy minister of growth of communities and territories, Vasyl Lozynskiy, was sacked on the weekend following his arrest on suspicion of embezzlement.
Pictures launched by the Nationwide Anti-Corruption Bureau confirmed stashes of money seized at Lozynskiy’s workplace.
The 36-year-old was accused of receiving a $400,000 bribe to “facilitate” the acquisition of turbines at inflated costs as Ukraine struggles with electrical energy shortages following Russian strikes on the power grid.
– ‘Good deeds’ – On Tuesday, key presidential aide Kyrylo Tymoshenko, who has labored with zelenskyy since his 2019 election, introduced his resignation.
The 33-year-old posted an image of himself holding a handwritten resignation letter, thanking the president for the “opportunity to do good deeds every day and every minute”.
Tymoshenko was implicated in a number of scandals, together with over the alleged private use final October of an SUV donated to Ukraine for humanitarian functions.
Oleg Nemchinov, a senior authorities official, additionally introduced the departure of 5 regional governors and 4 deputy ministers.
They embody the heads of the central Dnipropetrovsk area, the northeastern Sumy area, the southern areas of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, in addition to the area surrounding the capital Kyiv.
Nemchinov moreover introduced the dismissal of two deputy ministers of growth of communities and territories, and a deputy minister of social coverage.
The defence ministry individually introduced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who oversaw the military’s logistical assist.
It got here after the ministry was accused of signing meals contracts at costs two to a few occasions increased than present charges for primary foodstuffs.
– Spain vacation – The ministry insisted the accusations have been “unfounded and baseless” however mentioned Shapovalov’s departure would “preserve the trust of society and international partners”.
Deputy Prosecutor Normal Oleksiy Symonenko additionally resigned, following media stories that he had holidayed in Spain, reportedly utilizing a automobile belonging to a Ukrainian enterprise.
The USA welcomed the dismissals and mentioned that not one of the billions of {dollars} in US struggle help was identified to have been concerned.
“The Ukrainian people have been very clear about their desire for good governance and transparency,” mentioned State Division spokesman Ned Worth.
Regardless of being vocal about combating corruption, zelenskyy himself has been embroiled in corruption scandals up to now.
In 2021, the so-called Pandora Papers obtained by the Worldwide Consortium of Investigative Journalists mentioned zelenskyy used a community of offshore firms to purchase three upmarket properties in London.
His workplace mentioned on the time that zelenskyy, who’s a former actor and comic, created the offshore firms to guard himself in opposition to the “aggressive actions” of the “corrupt” regime of pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych.
Transparency Worldwide ranked Ukraine 122 out of 180 in its corruption rating for 2021.
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