When Ukrainian investigative reporter and anti-corruption activist Yuriy Nikolov was tipped off about an overpriced catering contract for the defence ministry, he knew the story could land him in trouble. By publishing it, not only would Nikolov break a taboo on criticising the Ukrainian government during wartime. He knew it could also cast a shadow over his embattled country and tarnish the reputation of one of the most prominent figures of the war: defence minister Oleksiy Reznikov. Nikolov reached out to the ministry, but was brushed off, he told the Financial Times. On Monday he published his findings, which showed the ministry had signed a $350mn deal with a catering company to pay wildly inflated prices for food going to Ukrainian troops. The story of overpriced eggs and gherkins set off alarm bells for Ukrainians, who, according to the country’s central bank, have donated about $500mn of their own money to the army. Many recognised it as a classic scheme used by powerful officials to line their pockets. That it was money meant to help feed their defenders made it all the more scandalous. The army food scandal broke as Ukraine was pleading with its western partners to supply it with tanks and other critical arms supplies for the fight against Russia’s invasion forces. The country’s bid to become an EU member state will depend on credible rule of law and anti-corruption reforms. It was the first domino in a cascade of stories that would lead to resignations and sackings of senior government officials, as well as the biggest government shake-up since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion. In a matter of days, one of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s deputy chiefs of staff, five governors of frontline provinces, four deputy ministers and two members of the president’s ruling Servant of the People party in parliament would resign or be fired because of scandalous or allegedly corrupt behaviour.