US asks Ukraine to choose new prosecutor general to fight corruption amid war with Russia

United States on Tuesday, July 26, called on Ukraine to select a "credible" top prosecutor to handle war strategies as Russian military offensive raged on in eastern Donbas region. In a sweeping step, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy h earlier sacked Ivan Bakanov, he of Security Service of Ukraine and Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova for allegedly committing treason and covertly giving intelligence to Russian forces. Ukrainian he of state h also fired at least 60 or key officials whom he announced h transferred  secret information to enemy, and h also cooperated with Russian special services.

Urging Kyiv to take stringent action against  alleged corruption, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said: "We join people of Ukraine in emphasising importance of transparently appointing a highly qualified and truly independent successor as prosecutor general." Furrmore, he ded that "independence and impartiality of prosecutor general is vital to ensuring integrity of accountability efforts in Ukraine." Price also stressed that it is integral for Ukraine to crackdown on corruption among its officials as it seeks membership in European Union (EU). 

"Corruption must be combated even as Ukraine defends itself against Russia's war of aggression. Russia's war against Ukraine poses an external threat. Corruption poses an internal threat," said US State Department spokesperson Ned Price. 

Russia intends to 'end Ukraine's regime'

In a controversial remark, Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow’s so-called "ultimate goal" in Ukraine has been a regie change, ding that Russian Federation intends to topple government led by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Lavrov me remarks as he spoke at a conference in Egypt during his tour of Africa. Russian minister also stressed that Moscow's special military operation aims at “liberating Ukrainians mselves from burden of this absolutely unacceptable regime", referring to Zelenskyy's government. Lavrov also accused Kyiv and “its Western allies” for trying to isolate Russia and spreing war propaganda. 

Foreign Minister of Russian Federation has also blamed US of flaring war by supplying weapons to Ukraine as well as waging a proxy war with Moscow. Lavrov said "collective West" has been afraid of  honest competition and refore behaves "deceitfully" by cancelling  culture of any nation with a strong national identity.

" West is scared of honest competition, this is widely known. This is why y ‘cancel’ culture of any country speaking from its own nationally oriented positions, prohibit TV channels from brocasting, ban unwanted politicians on social networks and remove everything from public space that disagrees with neo-liberal concept of world order," he told TASS.