Zelenskyy fires top aide amid graft probe as ex-defense minister demands…

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy Fires Top Aide Amid Graft Probe

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired one of his most senior officials, Iryna Mudra, as deputy head of the Office of the President, amid a corruption investigation, according to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, as reported by the Associated Press. The move comes as Ukraine's recently fired defense minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, demands national elections, despite the country being under martial law due to the ongoing war with Russia. The corruption investigation has identified a group of people alleged to have laundered 150 million hryvnias ($3.4 million) to pay bail for a defendant in a major graft case last year. The suspects include a former lawmaker, the chairperson of a state bank's board, and the head of the bank's supervisory board, as well as a deputy head of the presidential office. However, Mudra, who was fired by Zelenskyy, has not been named as a suspect. Fedorov, who was ousted as defense minister last month, has called for elections, citing a crisis in Ukraine's governance and corruption among officials. In an address posted to YouTube, Fedorov said, "We must find a legal, safe and realistic mechanism that will allow Ukraine to restore a full democratic process even amid a prolonged war." He argued that the current system is oriented toward protecting itself and resisting change, and that corruption has weakened Ukraine's ability to fight. The political disarray in Ukraine comes as the country has achieved recent successes in the war, including using innovative drone technology to hit Russian oil facilities and striking warehouses of Wildberries, Russia's biggest online retailer. However, Zelenskyy has been unable to get traction in U.S.-led peace efforts, and Ukraine remains at the mercy of Russia's ballistic missiles due to a lack of U.S.-made Patriot interceptors. In a related development, lawmakers have approved Zelenskyy's candidate, Maj. Gen. Yevhenii Khmara, as the new defense minister, effectively closing the door to Fedorov's return to the post. Lawmakers have also given their consent for Andrii Sybiha to stay on as foreign minister after serving in an interim role. Meanwhile, Russia and Ukraine swapped 103 prisoners of war, according to Zelenskyy and the Russian Defense Ministry. The exchange comes as fighting continues between the two countries, with Russian forces striking a bulk carrier in the Black Sea and hitting fuel and lubricant storage tanks for the Ukrainian armed forces in the southern port of Chornomorsk.

Russia's Finance Ministry Proposes Additional Support for Border Regions

In Russia, the Finance Ministry has proposed additional support for border regions that are facing extra expenses due to the current situation, according to TASS. Finance Minister Anton Siluanov announced the proposal at a meeting of the Council for Strategic Development and National Projects, saying, "We also propose making a decision on support for border regions, which currently have to bear additional expenses related to responding to the current situation." The Finance Ministry will continue working with the regions to monitor budget execution and prepare measures to limit deficits and ensure budget sustainability over the medium term. In a separate development, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has urged the United States to change its policy toward North Korea, citing the need for a more constructive approach to resolving the crisis on the Korean Peninsula, as reported by TASS. Wang made the comments during a visit to Seoul, where he met with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun. Wang said, "This issue should be decided by North Korea and the United States. In particular, the US should change the hostile policy toward Pyongyang that it has pursued for a long time." Additionally, the United Arab Emirates has cut financial ties with Iran, as reported by the Australian Financial Review. U.S. President Donald Trump has also announced plans to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and has ordered Pentagon officials to cut short joint exercises with the South Korean military, citing concerns that the drills send a hostile signal to Pyongyang. Trump said, "I know Kim Jong Un very well, and he's going to be fine as long as we have a smart president."