The minister took the fee with the assistance of three alleged accomplices (Representational)
Kyiv:
A Ukrainian deputy vitality minister accused of taking a bribe value half one million {dollars} has been arrested together with three alleged accomplices, Ukraine’s SBU Safety Service mentioned on Monday.
The minister, whom the SBU didn’t title, allegedly demanded mining trade officers pay him to switch tools from mines within the frontline japanese Donetsk area to a coal basin in western Ukraine.
“The tools in query is exclusive and scarce, belonging to one of many state-owned coal corporations positioned in essentially the most energetic space of the japanese frontline — Pokrovsk,” the SBU mentioned in a press release.
“Within the spring of 2024, trade representatives approached the deputy vitality minister to acquire permission to evacuate the tools from the battle zone and use it at mines in a western area,” it added.
“Nevertheless, the official, whose duties included the preservation of mining tools, demanded cash for its removing,” it mentioned.
The minister took the fee with the assistance of three alleged accomplices, all of whom have been caught “crimson handed” after the minister had acquired a part of the bribe, in keeping with the assertion.
The SBU didn’t disclose the identification of the 4 accused, posting images of its officers arresting the suspects with their faces blurred.
However Ukrainian opposition MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak named the minister as Oleksandr Kheilo, a deputy vitality minister.
Ukraine’s Cupboard of Ministers later issued an order to dismiss Kheilo from his submit, in keeping with a authorities Telegram channel.
Ukraine, which had extreme corruption issues even earlier than Russia’s 2022 invasion, has pledged to bolster efforts to fight graft because it seeks EU membership and to reassure its Western navy backers.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky rose to energy on a platform of ending corruption, and has fired a lot of officers together with his defence minister final yr over graft scandals within the military.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
