+++ Ukraine-Krieg +++: Nordkorea verlegt offenbar Raketeneinheit nach Westrussland

In Ukraine, anti-corruption investigators conducted a new raid targeting the inner circle of President Volodymyr Zelenskyj. Vice-chairwoman of the Presidential Office in Kiev, Iryna Mudra, was fired shortly after. Zelenskyj did not provide reasons for her dismissal in his decree. The investigation focuses on alleged multi-million dollar money laundering.

Just before the raid, former Defense Minister Mychailo Fedorow, fired by Zelenskyj in a video message, lamented the lack of corruption fight in Ukraine and called for elections. The popular politician, supported by demonstrators, is seen by many commentators as a potential rival to Zelenskyj in a presidential election. Amidst rising costs for the war against Ukraine, Russian donors followed a fundraising appeal and pumped billions into the state budget.

By mid-August, 383.69 billion rubles (about 3.9 billion euros) in voluntary donations had been pumped into the state budget, reported the Russian business newspaper "Wedomosti". This amount was twice as much as for the entire year 2025, exceeding all expectations. Most of the funds came after a call in March to businesspeople, according to the newspaper citing the Ministry of Finance.

Not only large corporations, but also individuals, corporate or family foundations decide on voluntary contributions based on their own financial situation, explained the head of the Russian Industrial and Entrepreneurs' Association Alexander Schochin to the newspaper. What exactly the money is spent on is unclear. However, a large deficit in the Russian budget due to ever higher spending on Putin's ongoing war against Ukraine could be filled.

According to "Wedomosti", the government might introduce an additional tax on the financial sector in the autumn to raise even more money. To finance the war, Putin had already raised income and value-added taxes.