The Ukrainian government dismissed more officials on Wednesday in its biggest political shake-up following a major corruption scandal linked to the Russian invasion.
Authorities announced the departure of a senior defence ministry official as well as five regional prosecutors.
Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said that an official in charge of army procurement, Bodgan Khmelnytsky, had been dismissed after being suspended in December.
The defence ministry has been accused by the media of signing food contracts at prices two or three times higher than the current rate.
Following the accusations, the ministry on Tuesday announced the resignation of deputy minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who worked on providing logistical support for the army.
Initially, the ministry had called the media reports “false” and said it “purchases relevant products in accordance with the procedure established by law”. But on Wednesday, the ministry said it was ready to “make procurement more transparent and budget funds more accessible to public control”.
The head of the parliamentary anti-corruption committee, Anastasia Radina, also said that the ministry had admitted “errors” related to food contracts and were “checking and examining prices to correct them”.
Separately, the General Prosecutor's Office said it had dismissed the regional prosecutors of the southern regions of Poltava, central Kirovograd and northern Poltava, Sumy and Chernihiv regions.
The move by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to fire several senior officials over corruption allegations is a signal that his administration cannot afford to lose the battle of public opinion both domestically and abroad, at a time when western military support is more important than ever, analysts told The National.
The government shake-up comes after other officials were fired for alleged corruption in recent months, but the new announcements felt different, said Tymofiy Mylovanov, president of the Kyiv School of Economics and an adviser to Mr Zelenskyy’s administration.
Reasons for this include rapid decision making, the sheer number and high rank of the civil servants affected, that the perception of wrongdoing was reason enough for removal, and the government’s intention to change public procurement policies to minimise corruption in the future.
Mr Mylovanov said that such a move was a necessity for Ukrainian authorities not to lose control of the narrative. This zero-tolerance approach has been well received in Ukraine, where many view it as a sign of a healthy democracy, he said.
“If there’s just some suspicion of impropriety, we don’t just suspend, we remove them altogether,” he said.
Andrii Borovyk, executive director of non-profit group Transparency International’s Ukraine branch, also said that the layoffs were a positive development.
“It would be much worse if there was corruption and no scandals. If there is a scandal, it means someone reacts and does their job. That’s fine. That’s normal democratic process,” he said.
Kyrylo Tymoshenko, an official in Mr Zelenskyy’s administration, was among those who resigned. Though the President gave no reason, Mr Tymoshenko’s departure is believed to be linked to criticism over driving flashy cars in wartime.
Other officials who were forced to step down including five regional governors, a deputy general prosecutor and the defence minister’s deputy, who was accused by local media of paying inflated prices for food supplies for the military.
The announcements came one day before German Chancellor Olaf Scholz caved to pressure from other European countries and said on Wednesday that he would send Leopard tanks to Ukraine.
There is no direct link between the two events, but it gives a sense of the level of western scrutiny on Mr Zelenskyy, who cannot afford to give any reason to his backers to halt their support.
“Ukraine wants to demonstrate that we are in control, that there’s going to be zero tolerance and that we’re on top of it,” said Mr Mylovanov.
Fighting corruption is among the requirements for Ukraine to start negotiations to become a member of the EU. The EU’s military, financial, economic and humanitarian support reaches almost €50 billion.
In its most recent ranking, Transparency International ranked Ukraine's anti-corruption efforts 122nd out of 180 countries. Russia ranked 136th.
Ukraine had no anti-corruption institutions until 2014, after which five were established from scratch with European backing.
“There has been important progress in Ukraine in the sense that anti-corruption structures have been created thanks to EU support, and of course now it’s about establishing a track record and reinforcing the resources dedicated to these agencies,” an EU Commission spokeswoman said on Tuesday.
Ukraine gained six points in the Transparency International ranking between 2012 and 2021, explained Mr Borovyk. Only 25 out of 180 countries gained more than four points in the same period.
“People still see corruption as a problem for the country, but people also see it as a one of the prioritised spheres that should be improved for the country,” said Mr Borovyk.
It remains to be seen whether Ukraine’s anti-corruption institutions will continue working effectively in the coming months.
Priorities include the partial reinstatement of the obligation for state officials to fill annual asset declarations, which was suspended at the start of the war for security reasons, as well as the gradual reopening of access to state databases, which had been suspended for similar reasons, according to Mr Borovyk.
“Dismissing a few people won’t impress for a long period of time, though it was the correct answer on the short term,” he said.
“I hope we will see other actions, and this is what I think it’s what our international partners are waiting for: systematic changes, not just changing faces.”
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
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Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Zayed Sustainability Prize
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
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Four stars
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Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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India Test squad
Virat Kohli (c), Mayank Agarwal, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Shubman Gill
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The years Ramadan fell in May
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PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Indika
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
England v South Africa Test series:
First Test: at Lord's, England won by 211 runs
Second Test: at Trent Bridge, South Africa won by 340 runs
Third Test: at The Oval, July 27-31
Fourth Test: at Old Trafford, August 4-8
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England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
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Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
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Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
SPECS
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The specs
Engine: Turbocharged four-cylinder 2.7-litre
Power: 325hp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh189,700
On sale: now
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
RIDE%20ON
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