Twenty-four-year-old former model appointed to Ukraine senior security role

Ukraine officials have sparked controversy by giving a 24-year-old former model a top security job.

The appointment of Anastasia Deyeva as deputy interior minister drew allegations on social media that she had been appointed for her looks rather than her experience or abilities. The row has intensified since the discovery of nude online pictures of Deyeva.

“Is this really the most qualified candidate?” said one Ukrainian social media user. Another called her appointment at such a young age “insanity.”

Deyeva told Ukrainian media that she possesses all the necessary skills for the position. She has previously worked as an aide to a Ukrainian MP and a Swedish energy company. She also speaks fluent English and French.

“I knew there would be heightened attention, criticism and biased commentary,” Deyeva told Ukrainian media. “But I didn’t expect such a dirty hate campaign.” Arsen Avakov, Ukraine’s interior minister, has spoken out in favour of Deyeva.

“The main thing people have against her is that she’s young,” he said on Facebook. He said he was proud of bucking the tradition of appointing a “monster” to ministerial positions. “It is worth supporting a young person, who works energetically,” he said.

Anna Kalynchuk, 23, a former law student, has recently been entrusted with a campaign to root out corruption among Ukrainian government officials.

The row broke out as Petro Poroshenko, Ukraine’s president, met officials in Brussels Thursday to discuss closer trade and economic ties with the European Union. It is three years since the former Soviet republic ousted Viktor Yanukovych, its pro-Moscow president, amid allegations of corruption.

But critics allege that Poroshenko has done little to tackle Ukraine’s deep-rooted culture of corruption. Mikhail Saakashvili, the outspoken governor of the Odessa region, resigned this month, accusing Poroshenko of supporting corrupt officials. His resignation came after the massive wealth of dozens of Ukrainian officials was revealed as part of an anti-corruption law that forced them to declare their assets.

Poroshenko Thursday sought to deflect attention away from corruption allegations as he urged the EU to extend economic sanctions against Russia over its military campaign in eastern Ukraine.