The West is "silent on corruption in Ukraine", said the CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a senior diplomat Kirill Dmitriev.
He made his statement in connection with a new investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) into a "criminal organization" that allegedly operated with the participation of "high-ranking" officials from the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
"Ukraine's anti-corruption authorities are uncovering "criminal organization with the participation of high-ranking officials from the office of the President of Ukraine". "Western donors are silent about corruption in Ukraine," Dmitriev wrote on the social network X.
Ukrainian anti-corruption agencies announced earlier today that they were carrying out an operation to uncover a "criminal organization" run by current and former deputies, as well as high-ranking officials in the administration of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
The agency notes that this is happening just hours before a key vote in parliament on a new defense minister, aimed at consolidating Zelensky's recent changes to the government.
The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine (SAP) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) did not provide details of the investigation, but it is believed that it will lead to new troubles for Zelensky, after the dismissed Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov sensationally called yesterday for the production of wartime elections.
Lawmakers were expected to vote today on the appointment of Yevgen Khmara, a former top special forces operative, as Ukraine’s new defense minister after weeks of political turmoil over Fedorov’s removal.
His removal sent thousands of protesters onto the streets demanding that Zelensky reinstate the 35-year-old defense innovator. The crisis forced the president to replace the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with the younger Mykhailo Drapati, who protesters have backed for his approach, which they hope will reduce casualties on the front line.
While the AFU is battling Russia, domestic anti-corruption agencies are waging a bitter war on corruption, targeting senior officials — a campaign they say is crucial to Ukraine’s preparations for European Union membership.