Five regional governors and four deputy ministers have been ousted from their posts in Ukraine over an alleged corruption scandal in the army, amid the Russian invasion of the country, the government announced Tuesday. The departure of the officials has to do with a quick reflex of President Volodimir Zelenski to clean up his management, with a severe remodeling of his government. Y dodge criticism in times of war.
Senior officials who resigned include the deputy defense minister Viacheslav Shapovalov, in charge of logistical support to the armed forces, the deputy head of the presidential administration, Kirilo Timoshenko, and the deputy attorney general Oleksii Simonenko.
Shapovalov’s departure “will preserve the trust of society and international partnersas well as ensuring objectivity” in “possible investigations,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement.
Timoshenko, one of the few aides of President Volodymyr Zelensky who has worked with him since his election in 2019 and who oversaw reconstruction projects for facilities damaged by Russian attacks, was featured in several scandals during and before the Russian invasion.
In October he was accused of using an SUV given to Ukraine by the General Motors group for humanitarian purposes. Following these revelations, Timoshenko announced that he would move the vehicle to an area close to the front line.
Simonenko was accused by an influential Ukrainian media outlet, Ukrainska Pravda, of having gone on vacation to Spain when traveling abroad, except for professional purposes, are prohibited for the men of that country of fighting age.
According to the media, he left in a vehicle belonging to a Ukrainian businessman and in the company of his bodyguard.
Zelensky announced late Monday that a number of Ukrainian officials would be leaving their posts.
Taras Melnichuk, the government’s representative in Parliament, indicated that the governors of the Dnipropetrovsk (center), Zaporizhia (south), Sumy (north), Kherson (south) and the capital kyiv regions will leave their posts. The Vice Minister of Social Policy and two Vice Ministers of Territorial Development were also dismissed.
AFP
