Earthquake in Ukraine’s administrative machinery one month before the anniversary of the Russian invasion: a wave of resignations has engulfed Kiev, with deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office Kyrylo Tymoshenko, four deputy ministers and five regional governors dismissed from their posts for an alleged corruption scandal within the military.
These are the Deputy Ministers for Community and Territorial Development Ivan Lukeryu and Vyacheslav Negoda; Deputy Minister of Social Policy Vitaly Muzychenka, Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov. According to the representative of the government in Parliament, Taras Melnychuk, the governors of the central Dnipropetrovsk region Valentin Reznichenko, the southern region of Zaporizhia Oleksandr Starukh, the northern region of Soumy Dmytro Zhivytsky, the southern region of Kherson Yaroslav Yanushevich and of the capital Kiev Oleksiy Kuluba.
Reznichenko was accused by the media last November because he allegedly contracted out to a group co-founded by his girlfriend the repair of some roads damaged by the bombing for tens of millions of euros. Kouleba’s resignation is linked to his forthcoming appointment to the presidential administration.
Anatoly Ivankevich and Viktor Vychniov, both deputy heads of the Ukrainian Sea and River Transport Service, also resigned. In a note released by the Ministry of Defense Shapovalov – targeted for corruption – asked to leave his post in order not to “create threats to the Armed Forces following the accusations about the purchase of catering services”.
“Despite the fact that the allegations announced are groundless – we read – the resignation is a worthy act in the traditions of European and democratic politics, a demonstration that the interests of the Defense are superior to any cabinet or presidency”.
The EU welcomed the iron fist shown by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, while the spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, commented by stating that “a new division of the cake” has begun in Ukraine.
