Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sacked a senior aide in his administration amid a fresh wave of corruption investigations in the war-torn nation.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sacked a senior aide in his administration amid a fresh wave of corruption investigations in the war-torn nation. Iryna Mudra, a presidential deputy chief of staff, was dismissed by decree after multiple reports in Ukrainian media suggested that her house was being searched by officials who are investigating an alleged money-laundering scheme.
It is pertinent to note that the latest move came just one day after a former defence minister warned that the country was facing “a crisis of governance” and needed to hold a wartime presidential election. No official reason was given for Mudra’s sacking. In his usual evening address, Zelenskyy did not directly respond to Fedorov’s accusation about Mudra’s firing.
However, he thanked the Ukrainian parliament for voting to confirm Fedorov’s replacement, Yevhen Khmara, in the post. It is important to point out that at the heart of Fedorov’s argument were accusations that corruption remained widespread under Zelenskyy and that the president had failed to get a grip.
“Corruption is only a symptom. The main problem runs much deeper. We have a systemic crisis of governance,” Fedorov had said. The former Ukrainian defence minister’s removal triggered street protests in July, the most significant anti-government demonstration since the start of the war.
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Amid the tensions, the Ukrainian media is reporting that Fedorov is now considering visiting the United States as soon as next week. In the past, US President Donald Trump has called for Ukraine to hold elections, though his comments were made at a time when his relationship with Zelenskyy was strained.
It is pertinent to note that the elections have been suspended in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Fedorov became the first major public figure to call for a presidential poll, effectively posing a direct challenge to the sitting president.
“Can Russia effectively be given the right to dictate when Ukrainians can choose their government again? I am convinced that the answer is no,” Fedorov said in a nine-minute video address released on social media late on Tuesday. While Zelenskyy’s term expired in spring 2024, conducting elections during wartime is prohibited under the Ukrainian constitution.