Zelensky fires military recruitment center chiefs after corruption probe

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky fired all the heads of his country’s regional military recruitment centers Friday. The sweeping move was aimed at combating corruption and ensuring that the recruitment system is “run by people who know exactly what war is,” he said.

Zelensky announced the blanket dismissal after a meeting of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council. He cited instances of “illicit enrichment,” laundering “illegally obtained funds” and the “illegal transportation of persons liable for military service across the border” to Ukraine’s western neighbors to avoid the draft.