Top Ukrainian Official Ousted in Anti-Corruption Sweep

There’s been a serious shake-up in the upper echelons of the Ukrainian government this week, reaching all the way to the office of Volodymyr Zelenskyyyyy. (Or however many y’s we’re supposed to be using this week.) Four high-ranking officials in Kyiv either resigned, or were fired amid a ongoing corruption investigation which somehow has not generated a lot of attention in the United States. They were mostly accused of padding their own pockets with money that should be going to the public in the war. If you look at the facts, it is clear that they were merely trying to make a profit. the Associated Press covered this storyYou would be tempted to believe that Zelensky was the anti-corruption crusader who rescued all these rats from their hiding places. Is that possible?

The deputy head of Ukraine’s presidential office quit Tuesday, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy pledged to launch a staff shake-up amid high-level corruption allegations during the war with Russia.

Kyrylo Tymoshenko asked to be relieved of his duties, according to an online copy of a decree signed by Zelenskyy and Tymoshenko’s own social media posts.

The resignation was not cited by either party.

There should have been red flags immediately when the first name was listed. Kyrylo Tymoshenko was the deputy head of Zelensky’s presidential office. He was previously linked to “the embezzlement of humanitarian aid worth more than $7 million.” The money was supposed be used to feed people living in areas affected by the Russian aggressions, but it was lost. It should be obvious that a large portion of this cash was paid by American taxpayers. That much loot disappeared from right inside of Zelensky’s own office and he knew nothing about it?

Deputy Defense Minister Viacheslav Shapovalov also resigned over the disappearance of money that was supposed to feed Ukraine’s troops. Oleksiy Symonenko was also resigned as Deputy Prosecutor.

However, as noted, Zelensky is being portrayed by the AP as the hero. They explain how “Zelenskyy vowed to drive out corrupt officials in comments on Sunday when a deputy minister was dismissed for being part of a network embezzling budget funds. Ukraine’s infrastructure ministry later identified the dismissed official as Vasyl Lozynsky, a deputy minister there.”

Zelensky now expels corrupt officials (from his own office), that are causing havoc. “part of a network embezzling budget funds.” This is a practice that has been reported to have been ongoing since the Russian invasion. While I understand that the man has been quite busy with the war, it would be a shame if he had an entire staff. “network” embezzling money in the capital for that long, either he knew about it or he’s too incompetent to be running a lemonade stand, to say nothing of a government.

Zelensky was, naturally. “driving people out” For a while now. He also locked up his chief political rival before the invasion. He also shut down media outlets which reported in critical ways on his administration. (For example, reporting on money that was missing.

In any event, please feel free to tell me once again how the people in Washington (few though they may be) who are calling for a full accounting of all of the money and material we’ve sent to Ukraine are engaging in “conspiracy theories.” It’s so insulting! Who dares to question where our money went? The entire system in Ukraine is as pure as the snow driven.