In the early weeks of the war in Ukraine, with the invading Russian Army bearing down on Kyiv, the Ukrainian government needed weapons, and quickly.
On the other end of the line was Serhiy Pashinsky, a chain-smoking former lawmaker who had overseen military spending for years.
He had spent much of that under investigation on suspicion of corruption or denying accusations of self-dealing.
Now, he was living in virtual political exile at his country estate, sidelined by President Volodymyr Zelensky and his promise to root out corruption.
“Go out on the streets and ask whether Pashinsky is a criminal,” Mr. Zelensky said on national television in 2019.
Persons:
Serhiy Pashinsky, Volodymyr Zelensky, “, Pashinsky, Mr, Zelensky
Organizations:
Russian Army, of Defense
Locations:
Ukraine, Kyiv