Five regional governors and four deputy ministers have been ousted from their posts in Ukraine over an alleged corruption scandal in the army during the Russian invasion of the country, the government announced on Tuesday. The departure of the officials has to do with a quick reflex by President Volodimir Zelenski to clean up his management, with a severe reshaping of his government. Y dodge criticism in wartime.

Senior officials who have resigned include the deputy minister of defence Viacheslav Shapovalov, head of logistical support to the armed forces, the deputy head of the presidential administration, Kirilo Timoshenko, and the deputy attorney general Oleksii Simonenko.

Shapovalov’s departure “it will preserve the trust of the company and international partnersas well as ensuring objectivity” in “possible investigations,” the defense ministry said in a statement.

Timoshenko, one of the few aides to President Volodymyr Zelensky who has worked with him since his election in 2019 and who has overseen reconstruction projects on structures damaged by Russian attacks, was the subject of several scandals during and before the Russian invasion.

In October he was accused of having used an SUV donated to Ukraine by the General Motors group for humanitarian purposes. Following these revelations, Timoshenko announced that he would move the vehicle to an area close to the front line.

Simonenko was accused by an influential Ukrainian media, Ukrainska Pravda, of having gone on holiday to Spain for foreign travel, if not for professional reasons, they are prohibited for the men of that country of the age of combat.

According to media reports, he left in a vehicle belonging to a Ukrainian businessman and in the company of his bodyguard.

Zelensky announced on Monday that a number of Ukrainian officials would be leaving their posts.

Taras Melnichuk, government representative in Parliament, indicated that the governors of the regions of Dnipropetrovsk (central), Zaporizhia (south), Sumy (north), Kherson (south) and the capital Kiev will leave their posts. The Deputy Minister of Social Policies and two Deputy Ministers of Territorial Development were also dismissed.

AFP extension