While Russia has been waging an aggressive war for 11 months already, several officials have resigned in Ukraine under suspicion of corruption, writes the British broadcaster BBC.
Zelensky has already banned public officials from leaving the country, the only exception being visits related to work duties.
The first to officially announce his resignation was presidential adviser Kyrylo Tymoshenko. After the Russian invasion, he often provided official information on the government’s position. Tymoshenko has been surrounded by a scandal over the use of expensive cars, but he denies that he did anything illegal.
After reports of possible illegalities in the process of purchasing food for the army, Deputy Minister of Defense Vyacheslav Shapovalov also resigned,
and the responsibility of Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov is being investigated.
Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Symonenko, Deputy Ministers for Development of Communities and Territories Ivan Lukeryu and Vyacheslav Negoda, Deputy Minister for Social Policy Vitaliy Muzychenk, as well as the governors of Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Sumy and Kherson regions, have also resigned.
Reducing corruption is one of the requirements that Ukraine must meet in order to join the European Union. In recent years, Ukraine has already undergone several reforms to reduce corruption, but now the stakes for Kyiv are higher than ever, especially at a time when Western allies are providing massive support to the war-torn country.
Read also: War in Ukraine: personnel changes in Kyiv