The dismissals and resignations — notably of Zelensky’s deputy chief of staff, Kyrylo Tymoshenko; Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov; and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Symonenko — represent the biggest shake-up in the country’s leadership since Russia launched its full-scale invasion last February.
Other officials were removed outright from their positions, including several regional governors.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a top Zelensky adviser, tweeted that the president’s “personnel decisions testify to the key priorities of the state … no blind eyes” — adding that Zelensky “sees and hears society,” and is responding to the public’s insistence on “justice for all.”
Another Ukrainian official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly, said that some in the government had for many months complained about what they saw as a pattern of corruption and predicted Tuesday that Zelensky’s moves marked “just the beginning.”
Congressional Republicans, particularly in the House where they now hold a narrow majority, have raised concerns about accounting for the billions in aid being sent by the Biden administration to Kyiv. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), prodded by his right flank, has said there should be no “blank checks” for Ukraine, and he has pledged greater oversight.
One senior U.S. official said Tuesday there are no concerns “at this point” that the news could poison the U.S. relationship with Ukraine.
But the official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, indicated there were concerns about how the corruption allegations might echo in Washington and beyond. “There is a 100 percent chance that those who are already prone to repeating Kremlin talking points via social media, and willing prime time talk show hosts, will use this to fuel their isolationist ideologies,” the official said.
The removal of Shapovalov was directly connected to reports in the Ukrainian media that Defense Ministry officials bought food for the military at prices triple those found in local stores.
The ministry has denied allegations of wrongdoing but welcomed Shapovalov’s resignation as a confidence-building measure.
In its official Telegram channel, the Defense Ministry said Shapovalov “asked to be removed in order not to create threats to the stable support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine” because of “accusations related to the procurement of food services.”
However, the ministry also said the accusations were “unfounded and baseless” and called Shapovalov’s resignation “a worthy act in the traditions of European and democratic politics.”
Other officials did not immediately give reasons for their resignations.
Tymoshenko, who was a key domestic adviser to Zelensky, thanked a list of government agencies and officials, including Zelensky, for “the trust and the opportunity to do good deeds every day and every minute,” but he did not explain his departure.
However, Tymoshenko has been at the center of two media investigations into his use of elite automobiles during the war. Bihus.info, a local media outlet reported that Tymoshenko commandeered for his personal use a Chevrolet Tahoe SUV that had been donated to the Ukrainian government for humanitarian aid operations.
It was one of 50 Tahoe vehicles that General Motors sent to Ukraine earlier in the year to help distribute aid and to evacuate civilians from the war zone. Tymoshenko confirmed that he drove the car but said it was for official use.
Also, the news website Ukrainska Pravda reported last month that Tymoshenko was recently spotted driving a new Porsche Taycan, costing around $100,000. Tymoshenko confirmed he drove the car, but said it belonged to a local Ukrainian business and that he used it “three-four times and then returned it a few months ago.”
Ukraine’s general prosecutor’s office, meanwhile, announced the resignation of deputy prosecutor Symonenko on its official Telegram channel but, as in other cases, did not cite a specific reason.
Symonenko had been embroiled in a scandal in recent weeks after a report that he had left the country over the New Year’s holiday to vacation with his family in Spain.
The incident carried an additional punch in Ukraine, where, since the beginning of the war, Ukrainian men of military age have been barred from exiting the country, unless they can convince authorities that they have a well-grounded reason to leave and receive official permission.
Over the weekend, a deputy infrastructure minister, Vasyl Lozynsky, was dismissed in connection with a bribery case brought by Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency.
Ukraine, under pressure from the United States and especially the European Union, has worked aggressively in recent years to root out corruption, which had long been pervasive across the government. The new allegations are particularly sensitive and troubling because the country, in wartime, has been totally reliant on donations from foreign countries — in weapons to fight the Russian invasion, as well as money to keep the economy afloat.
In recent days, Ukrainian officials, including Zelensky, have reiterated the country’s critical need for more powerful weapons, especially battle tanks.
On Tuesday, Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Twitter that his country had made a formal request to Berlin for permission to transfer German-made Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
Blaszczak appealed to Germany “to join the coalition of countries” that were supporting Ukraine, which he wrote was “our common cause,” which concerned “the security of the whole of Europe.” German officials confirmed they had received the request.
The German government must sign off on any transfers of weapons that it produces between countries. About 2,000 of the tanks are based throughout Europe.
After meeting in Berlin with German Foreign Minister Boris Pistorius, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg reiterated the call for providing stronger weapons to Ukraine, but said the discussions about tanks were still underway. “I am confident that we will have a solution soon,” Stoltenberg said.
Oleksandr Novikov, the head of Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention, said the swift measures were necessary as Ukrainians expect their leaders to be taking part in the shared national sacrifice the war has demanded of them.
“Despite the war, Ukrainians became more intolerant of corrupt practices and more inclined to behavior of integrity,” Novikov wrote in reply to questions sent by text message. “Before the war, only 40 percent of Ukrainians believed that corruption cannot be justified under any circumstances, now — 64 percent.”
Some anti-corruption advocates in the country also hailed the firings as a necessary step that would send an important message to others in government. “It is an overall healthy sign,” said Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, a Kyiv-based organization financed by the U.S., and E.U. as well as private donations.
In his regular evening address on Monday, Zelensky said he had made “personnel decisions” in the country’s “ministries, central government bodies, regions and law enforcement system.”
He also said that Ukrainian officials would be barred from traveling abroad for vacations during wartime.
“If they want to rest now, they will rest outside the civil service,” Zelensky said.
Shane Harris, John Hudson and Dan Lamothe in Washington contributed to this report.
*This story has not been edited by The Infallible staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.
