Within hours after Zelensky announced changes to the structure of kyiv, the departures began: the president’s deputy chief of staff, the deputy defense minister and, finally, the deputy attorney general.
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It began with the resignation of Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office. Hours later, the announcement of the departure of Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov arrives. In a few minutes, the news with the third victim – Oleksiy Symonenko, Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine was fired, unlike the first two figures, who asked to leave.
In less than 24 hours, there are already three departures from power in kyiv, this Tuesday, January 24. The resignations come after Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, has announced zero tolerance for corruption, signaling future changes in his cabinet, regions and security forces.
Vyacheslav Shapovalov, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, has resigned, citing “media allegations” of corruption, which both he and the ministry say are unfounded. According to Reuters, the statement for the deputy attorney general’s departure did not give reasons, stating only that the decision was in accordance with “his own wish” of him.
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The deputy chief of staff of the presidency, in office since 2019, left thanks for leaving. But the justifications were also left out. “I thank the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, for the trust and the opportunity to do good deeds, every day and every minute,” wrote Kyrylo Tymoshenko, in a note posted on the Telegram social network. A decree accepting Tymoshenko’s resignation, presented to the Ukrainian president on Monday, January 23, has already been published on the presidential website, says the Reuters agency.
According to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform, Tymoshenko he also thanked the heads of the regional military administrations:: “We managed to put together the most powerful team in the country. You are amazing. You are the true warriors of light.”
The former vice president of the Ukrainian presidential office also thanked the mayors of the cities for having been “constructive in disputes”, also leaving a few words of gratitude to the “great team of the regional police leadership of the Presidency of the Republic.”
The photo posted by Zelensky’s former deputy chief of staff on Telegram.
Tomishenko, 33 years old, Zelensky’s deputy chief of staff since 2019, having been responsible for the supervision of the regions and regional policies. He worked with the current head of state during his presidential campaign, managing media and creative content.
According to Reuters, citing Ukrainian social networks, Tymoshenko would be, since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, involved in several scandals related to the use of luxury cars in his personal life. Zelensky’s former deputy chief of staff has denied all the allegations.
On Saturday, January 22, Vasyl Lozynsky, now a former Infrastructure Minister, was arrested on suspicion of having received a bribe of US$400,000 (about 368,000 euros) to benefit a company during the acquisition of generators.
Source: Observadora
