The Ukrainian president may have pledged to reform the country’s corrupt system of politics, but the Pandora Papers tell a different story. . . .
Context: Zelensky had campaigned on cleaning up Ukraine’s oligarch-dominated system. He’d pushed to set himself apart from politicians like incumbent Petro Poroshenko, who hid offshore assets, the Guardian notes.
But the Pandora Papers revealed that Zelensky was involved with a network of offshore companies, which he co-owned with friends and business partners.
Our thought bubble, via Axios’ Dave Lawler: Zelensky is one of several politicians who campaigned on anti-corruption platforms — others include Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan — who will now be facing questions over undisclosed wealth tied to them or their close associates.
By the numbers: Ukraine leads with 38 politicians named in the Pandora Papers. The top five are …
Ukraine: 38
Russia: 19
Honduras: 11
United Arab Emirates: 11
Nigeria: 10
https://news.yahoo.com/countries-most-politicians-named-pandora-010509860.html
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office has sought to justify his use of offshore companies as protecting him against pro-Russian forces, following leaked revelations in the Pandora Papers. . . .
According to its findings, two of the offshore companies belonging to Zelenskyy’s partners were used to buy three lavish properties in central London.
The report also found that Zelenskyy, just before he was elected, transferred his stake in one of the offshore companies to his top aide Serhiy Shefir – the target of a shooting attack last month.
