Volodymyr Zelensky: Some in Ukraine Forget We’re at War – ‘Blow to Monaco Battalion’, Media Says

Its president Ukrainian, Volodymyr Zelenskyhe did not only directly refer to his developments war in his country and efforts to address the Russian forces. He also touched on another issue that has been of particular concern to public opinion for the last 24 hours: the leisure trips abroad of some civil servants and officials.

“Sometimes it seems that some people who live in cities far from the front have completely forgotten that the country is at war and have begun to completely ignore reality, thanks to the protection provided by our heroes. They ignore that war is a situation that you can not allow”he emphasized at the beginning of his message.

He went on to say that the fighting in Donbass remains fierce with the forces there under attack and fire from the Russians on a 24-hour basis. “The battle for Donbass and the south continues. We see the forces that Russia is gathering and we know how to respond. Ukraine will not show any sign of weakness, the state will not show any sign of weakness”he declared and moved on to the issue that “burns” Ukrainian society.

After a revelation by the Ukrainian media that the Deputy Prosecutor General, Oleksiy Simonenkoleft Ukraine and went on holiday to Spain to celebrate the turn of the year, Zelensky announced that he had signed a decree banning all civil servants from leaving the country for holidays.

“It concerns all those who are supposed to work for the state and within the state”he emphasized. “No one will be able to go on vacation outside of Ukraine or for any other reason that has nothing to do with state work. From now on only for an actual trip required by their work will they receive permission to leave the country”he added.

“The Order of Monaco”

Simonenko, according to Ukrainian media, traveled to Spain and stayed at a resort in the Andalusian city of Marbella, one of the most popular travel destinations. In fact, he allegedly also used a car belonging to a powerful Ukrainian businessman during the ten days he stayed there. Now, the Ukrainian press claims that Simonenko, who benefited from the big… purge that Zelensky made last July, has announced his resignation from his post.

Simonenko and other high-ranking officials of the Ukrainian government who have occasionally been on leisure trips abroad and have uploaded photos or videos of them on social media, have been christened by public opinion as the “Monaco Order”. The press presents the developments with Simonenko as “blow for the Monaco battalion”. Monte Carlo is used because before the war it was a favorite destination of Ukrainian high society.