Oleksii Chernyshov has denied allegations he received $345,000 kickback in a property development scheme. What we know on day 1,217
Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities suspect a sitting deputy prime minister of receiving a $345,000 kickback in a property development scheme, they said on Monday, the latest investigation into a high-level Ukrainian official over alleged graft. Following the allegations Oleksii Chernyshov told the Kyiv Independent he was “absolutely not involved” and that he would not be resigning from his post. Kyiv has stepped up its efforts to investigate allegations of corruption as it seeks membership in the European Union while also fending off Russian forces in the more than three-year-old war. Officials said they suspected the deputy PM of abusing power by approving the development of state-owned land in a scheme that would have led to a loss for the state of around $24m. The incident took place while he was serving as a minister of regional development, according to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU).
Nato secretary general Mark Rutte on Monday said the allies’ support for Ukraine was unwavering and persistent, a day ahead of a Nato leaders summit in The Hague. He added that allies will provide over 35 billion euros in military aid for Ukraine this year and also said that Russia remained the most significant and direct threat facing Nato.
