Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov seized on Ukraine’s latest corruption scandal, saying it can no longer be dismissed as an “internal matter” because the “money being stolen comes from foreign taxpayers”. Responding to a reporter’s question, Peskov said, “European and American citizens should be concerned that billions sent to Ukraine are being misused while the war continues”. His comments follow the explosive revelation of a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme inside Ukraine’s energy sector, involving figures linked to Zelensky’s circle. The scandal has triggered anger inside Ukraine and growing frustration in EU capitals already struggling to justify new financial packages for Kyiv.