"Our state must change": Zelenskyy promises to put all top corrupt officials on trial. Video

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has strongly condemned officials and civil servants who have tarnished themselves by participating in corruption and taking bribes. He assured that all those who came to their positions to work for their own pockets and not for the benefit of Ukraine would at least be put on trial.

The Ukrainian guarantor said this in an address to the nation published by his press service. He thanked the law enforcement agencies that keep order among officials and MPs at all levels (to watch the video, scroll to the bottom of the page).

"We all know that our country has to change, has to undergo a transformation. And this means that those who have come to work for their own pockets will not be able to hold public office or become MPs. All such 'businessmen' will be at least put on trial," the Head of State assured.

Zelensky also expressed his condolences to the families and friends of all those killed in another war crime in Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. Nine people were killed by a Russian missile there, and 82 sustained injuries of varying severity.

"There are two children among the victims, both boys. One of them is in serious condition, his name is Nikita, the child is only 11 years old. I wish everyone a speedy recovery," the President said.

He also made a special appeal to the rescuers who were clearing the rubble in Pokrovsk and rescuing people. Among the participants in the operation to eliminate the tragedy, the politician singled out senior lieutenants of the State Emergency Service Andriy Samusin and Oleksandr Shilov, colonel of the Civil Protection Service Vyacheslav Filiushin, National Police officers, lieutenant Oleksandr Chivenkov and lieutenant colonel Volodymyr Nikulin.

"I am especially grateful to the medics who are working for people in Pokrovsk and other places in Donetsk Oblast. In particular, I would like to thank Kateryna Zheleznyak, an ambulance paramedic from Myrnohrad, and Igor Klimov, a surgeon at Pokrovsk Hospital. Thank you for saving Ukrainians!" the leader of the nation said.

Zelenskyy pointed out that 1 September is just around the corner, when schoolchildren and students will return to their desks amid the war and enemy shelling of Ukraine. Against this backdrop, on 8 August, he held a meeting with representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers and heard their reports on preparations for the new school year.

"The content is obvious - preparation of shelters, provision of textbooks, financial and organisational resources that are needed and with which the state can help. Officials will soon provide the relevant details," the president assured.

During the day, Zelenskyy also held talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The key topic of the talks was the protection of Ukrainian citizens from Russian invaders, their terror and crimes.

"We are preparing new defence packages, and I am grateful to Mark Rutte personally and to all the people of the Netherlands - each and every one of them who is with Ukraine. We are preparing to strengthen our aviation with modern aircraft, and it is the Netherlands that can become a leader in the issue of F-16 for our army," the President stressed.

On 23 August, a new summit of the Crimean Platform will be held to discuss the de-occupation of the peninsula. Zelenskyy invited Rutte to attend as an honoured guest.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, on the afternoon of 8 August, the NABU and the SAPO exposed a current MP from the Servant of the People party and two of his accomplices on receiving illegal benefits. According to law enforcement officers, the detainees received the first part of the money, $85,000, from a private entrepreneur for allegedly leasing state land.

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