Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Reuters
Reuters
Politics

Ukraine's Zelenskiy sacks top official, says clean-up drive continues

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends an online meeting with sport ministers of 35 countries to discuss a ban of Russian and Belarusian athletes from the 2024 Olympics, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine February 10, 2023. Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday issued a decree sacking a senior security figure and said separately that his drive to clean up the government would continue.

Authorities have dismissed dozens of officials in recent weeks and opened probes as part of a widespread drive against wrongdoing. The European Union says addressing corruption is a requirement for Ukraine joining the 27-member bloc.

Zelenskiy dismissed Ruslan Dziuba as deputy commander of the National Guard, according to a brief decree issued by the presidential office. It did not give any reasons for the move.

FILE PHOTO: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy attends a joint news briefing with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 24, 2023. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko

Zelenskiy - who has stressed the need for the defence ministry in particular to be cleaned up - did not specifically mention Dziuba in his daily video address.

Instead, he said he had met defence sector and law enforcement officials to discuss ways to protect institutions from what he called attempts from outside or inside to reduce their effectiveness and efficiency.

Referring to the crackdown, he said: "All this activity is not just about certain episodes or criminal proceedings ... the state will continue to modernize the institutions themselves. The purity of the work of state structures must be guaranteed."

Ukraine's defence minister said on Thursday hundreds of officials at the ministry or in the armed forces had been disciplined last year after internal audits, and that he had "zero tolerance" for corruption.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.