Iryna Mudra, deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office, was dismissed on 19/8 by a decree from Volodymyr Zelensky, following domestic media reports that authorities were searching her home in connection with allegations of involvement in a money laundering scheme.
The move comes as the National anti-corruption bureau (NABU) is conducting a special operation to uncover a criminal conspiracy involving "high-ranking officials from the presidential office" and others.
According to NABU, those involved include a deputy head of the presidential office, a parliament member, a former parliament member, and the general director and head of the supervisory board of a state-owned bank. The agency did not disclose the specific identities of those listed.
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Iryna Mudra, deputy head of Ukraine's presidential office. Photo: X/Iryna Mudra |
NABU stated that the group is accused of laundering 150 million hryvnia (3,4 million USD) through a state-owned bank to post bail last June for former energy minister Herman Haluschenko, who is also facing corruption charges.
Haluschenko is a defendant in a high-profile corruption case, alongside businessman Timur Mindich, who has left Ukraine for Israel. Mindich was an associate of the president and co-owner of the television production company Kvartal 95, which Zelensky co-founded before entering politics.
Mindich is accused of leading a large-scale corruption ring, which was exposed last November. In this case, businesses seeking to supply goods and services to the state-owned nuclear power corporation Energoatom were allegedly forced to pay kickbacks.
The scandal damaged Zelensky's reputation. two weeks later, presidential chief of staff Andriy Yermak resigned after anti-corruption investigators searched his home. Last May, Yermak was arrested on money laundering charges.
Yermak's lawyer denied all allegations, describing them as "groundless". Mindich also denied wrongdoing.
President Zelensky has not been accused of involvement in the corruption investigation, but the incident risks drawing him into a new political crisis and serves as another test of the Ukrainian leader's ability to withstand pressure.
The European Union has identified deep-seated corruption as one of the major obstacles to Ukraine's goal of joining the bloc.
This notable development occurred just one day after former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for nationwide elections, despite Ukraine's constitution not allowing voting during wartime. Fedorov's dismissal last month sparked numerous nationwide protests demanding his reinstatement. On 20/8, Ukraine's parliament appointed a new defense minister, meaning Fedorov, who stated he would only return to the cabinet as head of the defense ministry, no longer has a chance to be reinstated.
Huyen Le (According to AP, Guardian)
