Day 335: String of Sackings and Resignations Amid Ukraine Corruption Allegations
The Facts
With Tuesday marking 11 months since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Ukrainian government has been shaken by a series of corruption allegations that have led to the firings and resignations of a number of officials.
As reported earlier in the week, the first to go was Ukraine's deputy minister for community development Vasyl Lozynskyi, who was detained and dismissed from his post over the weekend for allegedly stealing $400K in funds intended for purchasing aid, including generators.
The Spin
Narrative A
Ukraine has a history of corruption, evident in the fact that it came 122 out of 180 countries in Transparency International's 2021 rankings of corrupt states. However, the European Union has emphasized that cleaning up corruption is a key stipulation if Ukraine wants to join the bloc. Zelenskyy is taking effective action to meet that demand, with a view to fostering closer ties with the rest of Europe and protecting Ukraine's political and military security.
Narrative B
Kyiv has been keen to show the European Union that it's been rooting out corruption in the country. However, today's developments will strike severe blows to Ukraine's reputation among EU officials. The perception of Kyiv's commitment to the application process, along with those of Ukraine's overall EU aspirations in general, have been damaged by these reports.
