In a major crackdown on corruption, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy removed all heads of Ukraine’s regional army recruitment centers as the conflict with Russia became increasingly critical.
On Friday, Zelenskyy dismissed the accusation in Kyiv, expanding his campaign against corruption since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 18 months ago.
According to him, a state investigation into Ukrainian prisons found instances of abuse by officials, including the transportation of draft-eligible men across border and illegal enrichment.
According to Zelenskyy, 112 criminal cases were filed against draft board officials who were suspected of corruption and bribery.
He employed harsh language that was expected to be embraced by Ukrainians who were appalled by instances of wartime corruption.
He emphasized the need for individuals with complete understanding of war to manage the system and make it ethical to engage in acts of cynicism and bribery during warfare, as firing soldiers would be replaced by veterans from other wars and wounded soldiers.
The dismissal of suspected corruption figures by Zelenskyy indicated to Western allies who were providing military aid to Kyiv that Ukraine is committed to cracking down on corruption, which has been a longstanding issue in the country’s armed forces.
A corruption scandal involving Ukraine’s draft system began in June when a media investigation was published about Odesa’S regional draft commissar Yevhen Borysov.
Investigation: The documents reveal that Borysov’s family members in Spain owned millions of dollars worth of luxury vehicles and property, which Borychuk subsequently denied but maintained that he had nothing to do with what his family bought.
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation and Security Service took into custody dozens of draft board staff suspected of bribery and corruption following the report.
‘Promote their honor’.
According to Zelenskyy, sacked army recruitment officers who are not being investigated should consider fighting for Ukraine by going to the front to maintain their professionalism and show their dignity.
“I want to emphasize that the army is not a substitute for criminal punishment. Those who mistakenly refer to epaulettes as perks will likely face legal consequences,” he said.
The SBU would be the first to verify new candidates for Ukraine’s domestic security service, while top General Valery Zaluzhny would handle implementation, according to Zelenskyy.
Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index places Ukraine at 116th place out of 180 countries, despite recent efforts to combat corruption.
In June, an opinion poll commissioned by Transparency revealed that 77% of Ukrainians consider corruption to be one of the country’s most significant issues.
The election of Zelenskyy in 2019 was a landslide victory, as the government was overhauled and corruption was brought to the forefront, long before Moscow deployed its troops across the border on February 24th.