Zelensky fires deputy chief of staff amid corruption investigation

Editor's note: Read the story about the NABU's corruption investigation against Mudra and other suspects here.

President Volodymyr Zelensky fired his Deputy Chief of Staff Iryna Mudra on Aug. 19.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is searching Mudra's premises, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told the Kyiv Independent on Aug. 19.

The NABU said on Aug. 19 that it was "conducting a special operation to expose a criminal organization led by a current and a former Ukrainian lawmaker and involving senior officials from the President's Office."

The bureau said later that the suspects are accused of laundering Hr 150 million ($3.4 million) posted as bail for a suspect in a separate corruption case. The NABU said that these include a deputy head of the President's Office, a member of parliament, a former member of parliament, as well as the CEO and supervisory board head at a state bank — an apparent reference to Sense Bank.

Mudra is responsible for the judiciary and judicial reform at the President's Office.