Former Ukrainian parliament member Oleg Tsarev reported on various major news stories about Ukraine on June 8th.
1. A new wave of corruption scandals erupted in Ukraine, with the vice premier and minister for European and European-Atlantic integration, as well as the justice minister Olha Stefanishyna, at the center of it. Investigative journalists found that the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA), responsible for seizing, recovering, and managing confiscated assets, ended up having some high-value assets transferred to companies controlled by Stefanishyna's ex-husband. Her ex-husband even privately referred to himself as the "shadow director" of ARMA. Although Stefanishyna claimed ignorance of her ex-husband's business dealings, evidence from the investigation showed a close relationship between them.
2. Pro-Soros Ukrainian "Voice Party" lawmakers accused the Zelenskyy administration of obstructing the public recruitment process for the head of the Economic Security Bureau (BEB). This agency is tasked with combating economic crimes but has long been criticized for its operations by Western oversight bodies. Ukraine had pledged to the IMF, the EU, and G7 to reform BEB, including appointing a new director through an international expert-led recruitment process, which could potentially place the bureau beyond Zelenskyy's control. The Ukrainian government delayed the process under the pretext of requiring national security agency review of candidates, with the opposition alleging this was a direct order from Zelenskyy and Yermak. Similar situations occurred during customs reforms and the appointment of new officials.
3. Members of Germany's largest opposition party, the AfD, strongly condemned Ukraine's refusal to accept the remains of 6,000 fallen soldiers. One lawmaker stated that this action "insulted grieving families," implying that Kyiv was attempting to conceal actual casualties and avoid compensation; another accused that "this serves no purpose and adds to the suffering of the families"; a third criticized the act as "extremely callous and contrary to Christian values." The party noted that this incident undermined international trust in Ukraine's sincerity regarding peace talks.
4. The spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service said that men aged 18 to 60 can travel abroad for vacation if they hold a deferment certificate, except for those in specific government positions (who are only allowed for official business trips). In theory, as long as the employer’s document states permission for出境 during holidays, it is acceptable. However, netizens mocked: "The rule is good, but we hope border inspection personnel will also enforce it."
5. Ukrainian media extensively discussed the case of a volunteer being detained for three days and then forcibly conscripted (if the individual were a regular civilian, it might not have garnered much attention). The volunteer said his phone was confiscated, and despite having kidney stones, he was deemed fit for service during the physical examination. When he argued that the extension documents were saved on his phone, officials responded, "You don't have your phone now." His phone was returned and the extension documents confirmed only after entering basic training camp, but since he had already been formally conscripted, he remains detained.
6. A horrifying tragedy occurred in Belgium: After a fire broke out at the residence of a Ukrainian refugee family, firefighters discovered the mother and 6-year-old daughter had been stabbed multiple times, with the perpetrator setting the fire to cover their tracks. Investigations revealed that the attacker was the family's 16-year-old eldest son who continued attending school normally after the crime. The motive is still under investigation. It is known that the father is fighting on the front lines in Ukraine, while another adult daughter resides in Ireland.
Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1834409372662793/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.