Jakarta –
Some senior officials Ukraine announced their retirement on Tuesday (24/1), following corruption scandal which is surprising.
The corruption reports emerged over the weekend, surrounding illicit payments and overvalued military contracts.
Reported by the media EuronewsTuesday (24/1/2023), Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Simonenko were among several officials who stepped down from their posts.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said personnel changes were being made at senior and lower levels, following the scandal.
At the end of last week, a newspaper investigative report Ukraine accused the Ministry of Defense of signing contracts to supply food to troops at the front at “two to three” times the regular price.
The contract amounts to €320 million for 2023, according to news website ZN.UA.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has denied the allegations, claiming the reports were “deliberate manipulation”.
The ministry also warned that it would open an investigation into “the spread of misleading information that is detrimental to defense interests during a special period”.
Separately, anti-corruption police arrested the deputy minister of infrastructure on suspicion of accepting a 367,000 euro bribe for generator imports last September. This accusation was also denied by the minister.
The scandal, which has sent shockwaves across Ukraine, comes as European countries dispute over giving Ukraine advanced German-made Leopard 2 tanks.
The Ukrainian government says the tanks are needed to break through the lines Russia and reclaiming territories, although some European officials have warned sending it could escalate conflict.
See also ‘The Sophistication of the Bionic Arm for the Ukrainian Army’:
(it/it)
