Ukraine's authorities have announced that a current minister in the government led by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is suspected of having illegally acquired state-owned land worth 291 million hryvnia, or approximately 7.3 million dollars.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, or NABU, said in a social media post on Tuesday that the minister is alleged to have obtained multiple plots of land in collusion with officials of a government organization engaged in land registration.
The authorities said that the minister also attempted to seize land worth about 4.8 million dollars, but the scheme was prevented through the investigators' efforts.
Multiple Ukrainian media reported that the person in question is Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solskyi.
The case is believed to be the first time an incumbent minister has been the subject of an investigation since Russia invaded Ukraine.
A series of corruption cases involving government officials have come to light in Ukraine. The defense ministry was hit by corruption allegations over the procurement of military jackets and food.
Western countries, which have been providing a massive amount of financial aid to Ukraine, are repeatedly urging Kyiv to redouble efforts to root out corruption.