The legal maneuver used to fire the CEO of Naftogaz raises doubts about Ukraine’s commitment to shield state companies from interference by politicians.

That was the fear expressed yesterday by a host of Ukraine-watchers: the State Department spokesman i Washington, the G7 Ambassadors in Kyiv, the speaker of the Rada, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Ukraine. To fire Andriy Kobolyev one year into his 4-year term, the Cabinet of Ministers resorted to suspending the Naftogaz Supervisory Board for two days, and then switching Kobolyev for his former deputy, Yuriy Vitrenko.