The Cabinet of Ministers has officially dismissed six government officials and greenlighted the firing of five governors in the most significant reshuffle since the start of the full-scale war.
According to Taras Melnychuk, the official government representative in parliament, the Cabinet of Ministers fired Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, Deputy Social Policy Minister Vitaliy Muzychenko, Deputy Territories and Communities Ministers Ivan Lukerya and Vyacheslav Nehoda, Deputy Heads of State Service of Maritime and River Transport Anatoliy Ivankevych and Viktor Vyshnyov.
Additionally, the government approved the ousting of five governors – Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Governor Valentyn Reznichenko, Zaporizhzhia Oblast Governor Oleksandr Starukh, Sumy Oblast Governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky, Kherson Oblast Governor Yaroslav Yanushevych, and Kyiv Oblast Governor Oleksii Kuleba.
Kuleba is set to receive a job in the President's Office, where Deputy Head Kyrylo Tymoshenko was fired on Jan. 23.
On Jan 21, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine detained Deputy Minister of Infrastructure Vasyl Lozynskiy.
According to the Ukrainska Pravda news outlet, NABU has been looking into potential corruption involving Lozynskiy since September. The deputy minister allegedly accepted $400,000 in bribes for the procurement of electricity generators.
The Jan. 24 reshuffle came after a series of journalist investigations alleged misappropriation of funds among several top officials.
Ukrainian newspaper ZN.UA reported on Jan. 21 that Defense Ministry purchased some foods for the military at prices that are two to three times higher than those at Kyiv grocery stores.
Earlier, a company linked to an acquaintance of Governor Reznichenko was alleged of benefiting from government road repair and construction contracts.