Ukraine’s Agriculture Minister, Mykola Solsky, has been made a suspect in a corruption probe involving the illegal acquisition of state-owned land. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) alleges that Solsky, who previously served as chairman of the parliamentary agrarian committee, led a scheme to illegally acquire state-owned land worth 291 million hryvnia ($7.36 million). NABU claims that the group destroyed documents proving that two state-owned companies had rights to use the land and then used a government scheme to transfer the rights to individuals connected to them. Solsky, who owns several farming businesses, was elected to Ukraine’s parliament in 2019 and became agriculture minister in March 2022. He has denied the allegations, stating that they relate to a period when he worked as a lawyer in a dispute between state-owned enterprises and individuals. Solsky has pledged full cooperation with the investigation and has expressed his commitment to transparency. The case is the first against a minister under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and comes amid growing speculation about an impending government reshuffle. It is worth noting that several cases of corruption have emerged in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, particularly involving lower-level officials and army procurement. Kyiv has emphasized its commitment to combating corruption as it pursues membership in the European Union.
Ukraine Agriculture Minister Faces Corruption Probe over Illegal Land Acquisition
