Zelenskyy fires a top aide amid a graft probe as Ukraine's ex-defense minister demands elections
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed one of his most senior officials on Wednesday after corruption investigators named a deputy head of the presidential office as a suspect in a money-laundering case.
- Investigators released few details about the probe, which involved allegations of laundering money.
- Zelenskyy was not named as a suspect in the investigation, but the case raised the prospect of another political crisis for his government.
- The developments came a day after Ukraine’s recently fired defense minister demanded national elections despite Russia’s more than four-year invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy removed a senior aide on Wednesday after corruption investigators named a deputy head of the presidential office among the suspects in a money-laundering case. The investigation was described only in broad terms, with officials giving few details.
Zelenskyy himself was not accused in the probe, but the case has added pressure on his administration and raised the possibility of another political crisis. The article said investigators identified a group of people alleged to have laundered money, though the account provided few specifics.
The events followed comments from Ukraine’s recently dismissed defense minister, who a day earlier called for national elections despite the war with Russia continuing for more than four years. The developments added to the political strain in Kyiv as the country continues to face the war and internal scrutiny over corruption.
泽连斯基在贪腐调查中解雇一名高官，乌克兰前防长要求举行选举
乌克兰总统沃洛迪米尔·泽连斯基周三解除了其一名高级助手的职务，此前反腐调查人员将总统办公室一名副主任列为一起洗钱案的嫌疑人。报道说，调查对外披露的信息很少，官方没有给出更多细节。
泽连斯基本人没有在这起调查中被指控，但此案给他的政府带来了压力，也使外界担心乌克兰可能再度出现政治危机。报道提到，调查人员锁定了一批被指控洗钱的人，但相关说明十分有限。
这些进展发生在乌克兰最近被解职的国防部长发表言论之后。那名官员在前一天要求举行全国选举，尽管乌克兰与俄罗斯的战争已持续四年多。随着战争仍在继续、国内又面临腐败审查，基辅的政治压力进一步加重。