The deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko, has asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be fired after criticism of his work.
Zelenskyy complied with the request and dismissed the top official from his post, according to a decree published on the president’s website. Tymoshenko thanked Zelenskyy on the Telegram news channel for the trust and the opportunity to work for the country in times of war.
Tymoshenko had previously caused a stir because he had been traveling in a US SUV that the car company General Motors had provided for the rescue of citizens from the combat zones in the war zone and for humanitarian missions. The official had defended his trips as official.
In the past few days, after scandals surrounding corruption and enrichment in the state apparatus, Zelenskyj had announced more decisive action against misconduct. A deputy minister was fired for allegedly taking bribes to buy power generators. The Ministry of Defense has been criticized for having bought food for soldiers at inflated prices. Many citizens in Ukraine suspect parts of the leadership of enriching themselves in the course of the large financial aid from the West.
According to the Ukrainian media, Tymoshenko was also criticized for exceeding his duties as an official in the presidential administration in the regions and also for being politically active. The presidential elections in Ukraine are next year. Selenskyj has to fear competition from his own ranks.
The external adviser in the President’s office, Oleksiy Arestovych, had previously resigned, and was repeatedly said to have ambitions for the highest office in the state. Arestovych thus officially drew the consequences of a “misstep”. He had thought it possible that a Russian missile had hit a residential building in the south-eastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro due to the Ukrainian anti-aircraft defense system. More than 40 people died.
