You're reading: Yanukovych promises ‘merciless fight’ against corruption

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that a merciless battle against corrupt officials will be fought in Ukraine.

"I tell you that we will remove [these corrupt officials]… There will be no mercy. If you’re caught, this means you’re an obstacle to the development of business and the economy, and collect a corrupt tax. Only get caught, and you’ll lose your head," Yanukovych said at the Ukrainian-Armenian business forum in Kyiv on Friday.

The president said that when he was the head of Donetsk Regional State Administration (1997-2002) only measures such as these were able to stamp out corruption.