February 1, 2023 Russia-Ukraine news

Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday conducted a series of anti-corruption searches across the country. One of the initiatives as part of this series was the unsealing of an alleged scheme by the acting head of the Kyiv tax authority to look the other way on 45 billion Ukrainian hryvnia ($1.2 billion) in unpaid taxes.

The State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) said that it had found hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, as well as luxury watches and cars, at the residence of the head of the Kyiv tax authority. 

The head of the Kyiv tax authority, “along with other members of the commission, made decisions on compliance or non-compliance with the risk criteria of taxpayers without legal grounds, which led to serious consequences,” the SBI said.

“The tax officials ‘do not notice’ these schemes, support their existence, or directly participate in them for systematic payment for their ‘services,’” the SBI said in a statement.

The SBI released photos of the cash and luxury goods it said were found at the tax chief’s residence.

David Arakhamia, the parliamentary majority leader, said that the “entire management of the customs” agency has been dismissed, there have been “searches in the State Tax Service,” and that authorities have served “notices of suspicion to senior officials of the Ministry of Defense.”

The recent findings from the anti-corruption searches come after President Volodymyr Zelensky fired a slew of senior Ukrainian officials amid a growing corruption scandal linked to the procurement of war-time supplies, in the biggest shakeup of his government since Russia’s invasion began.

According to Western officials, Russia is unlikely to see strategic success in any potential offensive in Ukraine this spring due to limited support on force ratios, equipment and logistics.

And, hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky promised “new reforms,” Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday conducted a series of anti-corruption searches across the country, according to the country’s parliamentary majority leader.

Here are the latest updates:

Hours after President Volodymyr Zelensky promised “new reforms,” Ukrainian authorities on Wednesday conducted a series of anti-corruption searches across the country, according to the country’s parliamentary majority leader.

David Arakhamia announced on Telegram that authorities were conducting a “spring raid campaign instead of sowing campaign.”

Alongside “a whole series of covert investigative actions,” Arakhamia said that property searches were conducted of former Interior Minister Arsen Avakov, businessman Ihor Kolomoisky, and politician Vadim Stolar.

He said that the “entire management of the customs” agency has been dismissed, there have been “searches in the State Tax Service,” and that authorities have served “notices of suspicion to senior officials of the Ministry of Defense.”

“The country will change during the war,” he said. “If someone is not ready for change, the state will come and help them change.”

Zelensky announced on Tuesday that his administration is preparing to introduce changes ahead of talks between Kyiv and the European Union scheduled for Friday.

"We are preparing new reforms in Ukraine. Reforms that will change the social, legal and political reality in many ways, making it more human, transparent and effective," Zelensky said in a video address, adding that further details would be announced at a later date. 

Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal had announced the "summit" earlier on Tuesday but provided no details on who would attend.

Shmyhal told Politico in an interview published Monday that Ukraine, which was granted EU candidate status in June last year, has an "ambitious plan" to join the bloc within the next two years.

Moscow said on Wednesday that there are few signs suggesting that the Russia-US dialogue on the nuclear arms control treaty will continue but the agreement is “important” as it is the only one that is still viable.

“We consider the continuation of the [START] treaty very important. It is actually the only one that still remains, hypothetically speaking, viable,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call.

Peskov went on to accuse Washington of destroying the basis for the treaty with NATO’s military infrastructure “working against” Russia which “creates very hostile conditions.”

“We see that the United States has actually destroyed the legal basis in the field of arms control and security,” Peskov said.

“We see how the entire military infrastructure of NATO works against the Russian Federation. We see how the entire NATO intelligence infrastructure -- including reconnaissance aircraft and satellite constellations -- works 24/7 in the interests of the Ukrainian regime,” he added.

“Of course, all this creates very hostile conditions for us, which we cannot ignore.”

Peskov’s comment came after the US State Department accused Russia of violating its obligations under the New START Treaty -- a key nuclear arms control agreement with the United States. 

The vice-president of the German parliament, or Bundestag, has arrived in Kyiv, she said on Twitter.

Goering-Eckardt's trip comes after Germany confirmed last week it will send a long-demanded contingent of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine in a major sign of support for Kyiv.

The announcement made for a landmark moment that followed weeks of intense pressure on Berlin from some of its NATO allies.

Goering-Eckardt expressed her support for the decision, writing on Twitter on January 24: "The #Leopard's freed!"

However, on Germany's streets, reactions were mixed, with some citizens telling CNN that they were concerned about how the war may now escalate.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi pledged Wednesday to uphold the country's sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine after meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Tokyo.

Hayashi told Stoltenberg that NATO shares "fundamental values with Japan," according to a statement from Japan's Foreign Ministry. 

Hayashi and Stoltenberg also exchanged views on the security situation in the Indo-Pacific region, the statement added.

On Tuesday, Stoltenberg and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said NATO and Japan would deepen collaboration as the world faces its "most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II," according to a statement from the Japanese Prime Minister's Office.

Last week, Tokyo approved additional sanctions on Moscow, including banning exports to 49 more entities, adding more items to an export ban and freezing assets of individuals tied to the Kremlin, public broadcaster NHK reported.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that his administration is preparing to introduce changes ahead of talks between Kyiv and the European Union scheduled for Friday.

Kyiv is finalizing preparations for the "summit" talks, he added.  

Some context: Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal announced the "summit" earlier on Tuesday but provided no details on who would attend.

Holding the meeting in Kyiv is a "powerful signal to both partners and enemies," Shmyhal said at a government meeting.

Shmyhal told Politico in an interview published Monday that Ukraine, which was granted EU candidate status in June last year, has an "ambitious plan" to join the bloc within the next two years.

Australia on Wednesday announced additional sanctions against Iran for supplying drones to Russia in its war on Ukraine.

In a news release, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said financial sanctions would be imposed on four Iranian individuals and four entities involved in the production and supply of drones to Moscow.

Russia has used Iranian drones across Ukraine with relentless ferocity, targeting both civilian areas and key infrastructure.

The sanctions are among wider measures announced Wednesday by Australia against individuals in Iran and Myanmar for alleged human rights abuses.

Last month, the United States sanctioned seven Iranian officials tied to an Iranian defense manufacturer that designs and produces drones which have been used by Russia in the war in Ukraine.

Russia and Belarus are conducting a further week of joint military drills, the Belarusian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday, the latest sign of cooperation between the neighboring allies amid Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The ministry said the aim of the training is to improve the compatibility of the two militaries and is part of preparation for the joint Union Shield 2023 exercises the two countries will hold in Russia in September.

The announcement of the new drills comes as Russian and Belarussian aviation combat units continue to conduct training missions during joint flight and tactical exercises of the air forces of the two countries.

The exercises are being held at the Ruzhansky training grounds in Belarus about 150 kilometers (93 miles) north of the Ukrainian border.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has backed a plan to set up joint military training centers with Belarus, according to Agence France-Presse.

In a decree published Tuesday, Putin tasked the defense and foreign ministers to conduct talks with Belarus and sign an agreement to establish the facilities, AFP reported.

The document did not specify where they would be based.

Some context: An announcement by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko in October that his country and Russia would form a joint regional force and carry out exercises set off alarm bells in Kyiv.

The last time Belarus and Russia forces held joint exercises, in February last year, many of those Russian forces went on to cross the Ukrainian border in their ill-fated drive towards the capital.

But Western officials speaking to media on background this week have expressed doubt that Russia could launch an offensive from Belarus in the coming months. 

The Russian troops' presence would, however, prompt Ukraine into stationing its troops in that direction to "offset that potential risk," the officials said, even though they stressed it is "hugely unlikely" that Belarus "will be an axis of advance in the next several months.”