Ukraine corruption scandal: String of officials resign in Kyiv

Several senior Ukrainian officials announced their resignations on Tuesday, amid a damaging corruption scandal. 

Reports of foul play in Ukraine's high offices broke over the weekend, surrounding illicit payments to deputy ministers and over-inflated military contracts. 

Deputy Defence Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Kyrylo Tymoshenko and Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Simonenko are among the officials who have quit. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said personnel changes were being carried out at senior and lower levels. 

However, the scandal could dampen Western enthusiasm for the Kyiv government, which has a long history of shaky governance, especially at a time when it is seeking more military support.  

Over the weekend, a Ukrainian newspaper investigation accused the Defence Ministry of signing off contracts to supply food to frontline troops at "two to three" times the regular price. 

The amount in question is €320 million for 2023, according to the ZN.UA news site.

"Even if these accusations are unfounded.. [the resignations] will make it possible to preserve the confidence of society and international partners," said the Ministry of Defence in a press release. 

On Sunday, the ministry dismissed the allegations as false, claiming the reports are "deliberate manipulation".

It warned it would open an investigation into the "dissemination" of "misleading" information, which "harms the interests of defence during a special period".

Separately, anti-corruption police arrested the deputy infrastructure minister on suspicion of receiving a 367,000 euro bribe to buy overpriced generators last September, an allegation the minister denies.

The supplier has claimed this was a