Top Zelensky aide Tymoshenko announces resignation

One of President Volodymyr Zelensky's key advisers has resigned ahead of an expected government reshuffle. Kyrylo Tymoshenko was president's deputy head of office and

thanked Mr Zelensky for "the opportunity to do good deeds every day and every minute". He had been implicated in scandals linked to his use of expensive cars - though he

denies wrongdoing. Mr Zelensky has signalled that other top officials will also leave his government in the coming days. The Ukrainian leader has said he is carrying

out a series of personnel changes in government, regional authorities and the security services. Local media reported that the departure Mr Tymoshenko - who oversaw regional

policy and earlier worked on Mr Zelensky's election campaign - may be part of the president's shake-up. But the restructure comes amid a clampdown on corruption in Ukraine,

one of the EU's key demands if the country is to advance its application to join the bloc. Authorities have banned all state officials from leaving Ukraine, unless on authorised

business trips. On Monday, Ukraine's deputy infrastructure minister Vasyl Lozinskyi was fired and detained by police after being accused of accepting a bribe worth $400,000

(£320,000). He has denied the charges. Ukraine has a history of corruption and in 2021 Transparency International has ranked the country at 122 out of 180 countries in its

ranking of corrupt states. In an address on Sunday, Mr Zelensky promised there would be "no return to what used to be in the past, to the way various people close to state

institutions" used to live.