Weakened by a corruption scandal involving his close aide, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced an audit of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex, despite the ongoing Russian invasion of the country, AFP reported, quoted by BTA.
"A decision has been prepared for a comprehensive audit of state-owned defense enterprises and relevant contracts", Zelensky said on Telegram. Any "found violations will be reported to the authorities" responsible for fighting corruption.
This announcement comes at a time when the presidency is destabilized by the revelation of a corruption scandal worth nearly $100 million in the Ukrainian energy sector, which has already been affected by Russian strikes, AFP notes.
According to anti-corruption services, the alleged author of this embezzlement scheme is Timur Mindych, a close friend of Zelensky and his former business partner, who left Ukraine shortly before the scandal. The case has led to an escalation of political infighting in Kiev, with Volodymyr Zelensky's main rival, former President Petro Poroshenko, calling for the resignation of the entire government this week.
Mindych and another suspect, also at large, Oleksandr Zukerman, were added to Ukraine's wanted list on Monday, the interior ministry said.