KYIV. – Several senior Ukrainian officials announced their resignations yesterday amid a damaging corruption scandal.
Reports of foul play in Ukraine’s high offices broke over the weekend, surrounding illicit payments to deputy ministers and over-inflated military contracts.
Deputy Defence Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Simonenko are among the officials who have quit.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said personnel changes were being carried out at senior and lower levels.
However, the scandal could dampen Western enthusiasm for the Kyiv government, which has a long history of shaky governance, when it is seeking more military support.
Over the weekend, a Ukrainian newspaper investigation accused the Defence Ministry of signing off contracts to supply food to frontline troops at “two to three” times the regular price. The amount in question is e320 million for 2023, according to the ZN.UA news site. The scandal, which has sent shockwaves through Ukraine, comes as European countries bicker over giving Kyiv German-made Leopard 2 tanks – the workhorse of armies across Europe. – Euronews.com
