Zelensky removes deputy head of presidential office after anti‑corruption probe
President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Iryna Mudra on Wednesday following revelations that a criminal network laundered roughly 150 million hryvnias in an energy‑corruption scheme.
On Wednesday the president issued a decree stripping Iryna Mudra of her position as deputy head of the presidential office. The decision follows findings by Ukraine’s anti‑graft agencies that a group had moved about 150 million hryvnias (approximately $3.35 million) linked to an energy‑corruption operation.
Investigation details
The National Anti‑Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti‑Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) said the network comprised current and former legislators, senior staff from a state‑owned bank and, crucially, a deputy head of the president’s office. Ukrainian law prohibits naming individuals, so no further identities were disclosed.
Political context
The removal underscores President Zelensky’s willingness to act against alleged graft at the highest echelons of power. While the move may strengthen his standing at home, it also carries the risk of deepening tensions within his inner circle.
It arrives amid a series of high‑profile anti‑corruption actions that have characterised the war‑time administration since the conflict began in 2022. Earlier this month former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov was also dismissed after a dispute over procurement reforms. He told Ukrainska Pravda: "The reason is connected with procurement, tenders, to the fact that we began overhauling the processes in this area."
Implications and next steps
The decree is likely to prompt further scrutiny of the presidential office’s financial activities. Should prosecutors amass sufficient evidence, charges could be brought against Mudra and any accomplices, potentially leading to arrests or the freezing of assets.
Politically, the action may reinforce Zelensky’s image as intolerant of corruption, a narrative that could appeal to both domestic audiences and Western allies supplying military aid. Conversely, it may exacerbate internal divisions if other officials feel threatened by the crackdown.
Analysts anticipate a period of intensified oversight of senior officials, with the possibility of additional personnel changes as the anti‑corruption agenda gains momentum.
First reported by the source report.
