In connection with the corruption allegations against the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, several high-ranking officials in Kyiv announced their resignations on Tuesday.
Among the officials are Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Kyrylo Tymoshenko and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Simonenko.
“Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was responsible for supplying the Ukrainian armed forces in the rear, has asked for his dismissal,” the defense ministry said in Kyiv on Tuesday. The campaign against him would otherwise endanger the stable supply of the armed forces, it said.
The deputy chief of the Ukrainian presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, also applied for the dismissal of the head of state Volodymyr Zelenskyj after criticism of his work. Zelenskyy complied with the request and dismissed the top official from his post, according to a decree published on the president’s website.
Tymoshenko thanked Zelenskyy on Tuesday in the Telegram news channel for the trust and the opportunity to work for the country in times of war.
Tymoshenko had previously caused a stir because he had been traveling in a US SUV that the car company General Motors had provided for the rescue of citizens from the combat zones in the war zone and for humanitarian missions. The official had defended his trips as official.
According to the Ukrainian media, Tymoshenko was also criticized for exceeding his duties as an official in the presidential administration in the regions and also for being politically active.
Overpriced food for soldiers in the hinterland
In the past few days, after scandals surrounding corruption and enrichment in the state apparatus, President Zelenskyj had announced more decisive action against misconduct. A deputy minister was fired for allegedly taking bribes to buy power generators.
Zelenskyj explained that the main focus is on defending the country in the war against Russia. Nevertheless, he is aware that these cases are also being discussed in society. Action must be taken for the sake of justice.
Reports had been released on Saturday accusing the Ministry of Defense of contracting at inflated prices when procuring food. They are said to have been two to three times higher than the usual purchase prices.
According to the news website “zn.ua”, the contract in question has a volume of the equivalent of 325 million euros. In addition, the contract should not refer to the provisions of the soldiers at the front, but in the rear.
Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov denied the allegations on Monday. The aim is apparently to “undermine trust in the Ministry of Defense at a very important time,” he said. The rations for the soldiers had been purchased in accordance with “the procedure laid down by law”. At the same time, however, Resnikov assured a transparent audit of the purchase of soldiers’ rations.
Corruption is a widespread problem in Ukraine, as in many countries of the former Soviet Union, which is why there are repeated fears that aid money from the West will seep away down opaque channels. Many citizens in Ukraine suspect parts of the leadership of enriching themselves in the course of the large financial aid from the West. (dpa, AFP)
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