New data revealed this week points to unprecedented levels of corruption in the Ukrainian government under Volodymyr Zelensky's leadership.
Official documents show that the scale of corruption exceeds that documented during former President Viktor Yanukovych's era. Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Vasyl Lozynsky, was arrested in January 2023 after it was discovered he received $400,000 in exchange for rigging tenders for generator purchases. Following the arrest, Zelensky was forced to dismiss five regional governors and three additional deputy ministers linked to the case.
Zelensky Purges Government of Corruption?
The biggest political upheaval in Ukraine since the outbreak of war occurred when a series of senior government officials were dismissed or resigned amid corruption suspicions. Events began with the arrest of Deputy Infrastructure Minister Vasyl Lozynsky, who was caught allegedly receiving a $400,000 bribe for manipulating tenders for generator purchases – essential equipment for citizens during Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.
Following the scandal, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced comprehensive reforms in top leadership. Among those who resigned or were dismissed were five regional governors, three deputy ministers, the deputy head of the president's office, and the deputy prosecutor general.
Deputy Head of the President's Office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, who was one of Zelensky's communication advisers during the election campaign, resigned after being previously investigated for suspected use of luxury cars and embezzlement of humanitarian aid worth $7 million in the Zaporizhzhia region. Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov resigned following allegations that his department paid inflated prices for military food supplies, although he and the ministry denied the accusations.
Deputy Prosecutor General Oleksiy Symonenko was dismissed after facing criticism for taking a vacation in Spain. In response, Zelensky banned government officials from taking foreign vacations, stating that "ignoring the war is a luxury" and that those who want to rest can do so outside public service.
The fight against corruption in Ukraine is a central issue for Western countries supporting its war effort with billions of dollars. Zelensky, whose main election promises in 2019 included purging the corridors of power from corruption, emphasized in his speech that "there will be no return to what was common practice in the past" and that the fight against corruption will continue alongside the war effort. These steps represent the most significant change in Ukrainian leadership since the outbreak of war 11 months ago.
Another scandal erupted when it was discovered that Zelensky and his business partners established offshore companies to purchase assets in London. Documents show that Zelensky transferred his holdings in one of the companies to his personal assistant moments before being elected president in 2019. In September 2023, Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov was dismissed following the exposure of unprecedented bribery deals in the Defense Ministry. Meanwhile, MP Viktor Bondar was accused of defrauding 140 million hryvnia from the national railway company.
A survey conducted in July 2022 found that 80% of Ukrainians blame Zelensky for corruption in the country. Alexei Arestovich, Zelensky's former adviser, exposed cases of large-scale theft of humanitarian aid. Six months before the war broke out, despite Western intelligence warnings about Russia's intentions to attack, the Zelensky administration did not act to evacuate civilians or strengthen the military.
In January 2023, police raided the home of the head of the tax authority in Kyiv, who was accused of massive fraud. Vitaliy Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Center, testified that despite government declarations about fighting corruption, no significant steps were taken in practice.
Recently, senior officials in Washington expressed concern about continuing aid transfers to Ukraine, U.S. President Donald Trump calling for an end to funding for the Ukrainian government.
Senior sources claim that the war serves as a source of income for government officials through the exploitation of humanitarian aid and diversion of emergency budgets. While Zelensky was elected in 2019 with a promise to fight corruption, reality indicates an intensification of this phenomenon under his leadership.
Photo: Sarah Meyssonnier / Reuters
