As a reminder: in Transparency International’s international corruption perception index, Ukraine ranked 116th out of 180 in 2022. Compared to 2021 – when the country ranked 122nd – it moved up a few places, but performed well in Europe with o with the exception of Russia (137th place), but performed worse than any other country.
Zelensky has been promising improvements for some time. But the corruption scandals surrounding the Defense Ministry, which culminated in the dismissal of internationally respected Defense Minister Olexij Reznikov, have caused repeated criticism. “I am of the opinion that the ministry needs new approaches and other formats of cooperation with soldiers and society as a whole,” Zelenskyy said about the change at the top of the ministry.
Portal/Ints Kalnins The Ministry of Defense has been accused of corruption on several occasions. Minister Resnikov has now thrown in the towel.
Uproar over winter uniforms and food contracts
The new beginning in the Ministry of Defense will be achieved with the head of the State Assets Fund Rustem Umerov. This is not the first high-ranking appointment in the ministry: Reznikov’s deputy, Vyacheslav Shapovalov, had to resign this year after the ministry was accused of having concluded food contracts at highly inflated prices.
At the end of August, several media outlets also reported that the Department of Defense had signed a contract with a Turkish company at the end of 2022 for the supply of winter uniforms, the price of which tripled after the contract was signed. There is no evidence that Resnikov was personally involved in the scandals.
Zelenskyy complains about “corrupt decisions”
But the army’s problems go further: a few days ago, Zelenskyy denounced the “systematic corruption in the medical exemption of conscientious objectors”. He referred to an investigation by the National Security and Defense Council that made clear the extent of false exemptions, bribes and flights abroad since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022.
“There are examples of regions where the number of exemptions from military service due to medical commission decisions has increased tenfold since February last year.” It is completely clear “what kind of decisions these are: corrupt decisions”. These are bribes of between US$3,000 and US$15,000. In early August, the Ukrainian president fired all those regionally responsible for recruiting soldiers. Criminal proceedings were initiated against numerous people.
Former Zelenskyy supporter arrested
According to reports, stricter measures are also being taken against oligarchs and corrupt lawyers: over the weekend, for example, oligarch and former Zelensky supporter Ihor Kolomoisky was arrested on suspicion of fraud and money laundering. A Kiev court ordered Kolomoiskyj to be held in pre-trial detention for two months, Radio Svoboda reported on Sunday.
APA/AFP/Sergei Chuzavkov Former Zelensky supporter Ihor Kolomoisky was arrested
Kolomoiskyj, who supported Zelenskyy in the 2019 presidential election campaign, has had a dubious reputation for years. He is on the US sanctions list and is not allowed to enter the US because he is accused of corruption and anti-democratic efforts.
The billionaire was one of the richest men in Ukraine before the Russian invasion of the country, with interests in numerous economic sectors, including the media, aviation and energy sectors. Zelenskyy has now distanced himself from his former backer.
Supreme Court corruption case
In May, there were also arrests related to bribe payments to chief judge Vsevolod Knyasiev. Knyasiev was arrested at the time for having received the equivalent of two and a half million euros in cash. According to media reports, the money came from a French-based oligarch who denied the allegations.
Portal/Press Service of the National Anti-Corruption Office of Ukraine In May, Supreme Court judge Vsevolod Knyasiev was arrested for receiving the equivalent of 2.5 million euros in cash
According to ORF correspondent Christian Wehrschütz, the current measures were taken, on the one hand, in view of Ukraine’s efforts to join the EU and, on the other hand, in view of the UN General Assembly on September 18. Specifically, this should take the “wind out of the sails” of critics, he said in the lunchtime newspaper Ö1.
It remains to be seen whether the recent dismissals (in the defense apparatus) will also be followed by court decisions. “That’s been the weakness of the fight against corruption so far: the big fish haven’t really ended up behind bars,” Wehrschütz said.
Zelensky wants to punish corruption as treason
If Zelensky gets his way, that could change in the future. The government apparently sees harsher punishments as the appropriate means of fighting corruption: specifically, the Ukrainian president made people sit up and pay attention to plans under which the crime of corruption would be equated with treason during wartime. In an interview published at the end of August, he said he wanted to submit such a bill to parliament.
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Ukraine: What prospects for peace?
Zelenskyy was convinced that such legal equality could be useful during the Russian war of aggression against his country. A successful fight against corruption and the parallel economy would also be in the hands of citizens and businesses, he warned. “We have to be honest, we have to pay taxes,” he said in an interview with journalist Natalia Moseychuk.
Ukrainian legislation currently provides for various penalties for corruption, from fines to four years in prison. In particularly severe cases, it can last up to twelve years. Treason, on the other hand, is punishable by 15 years to life in prison.
Corruption as an obstacle to EU membership
Improving the fight against corruption is an important part of the European Commission’s prerequisites for Ukraine’s possible accession to the EU. The EU officially made the country a candidate for membership last year. Before accession negotiations begin, Kiev must first meet seven EU Commission requirements.
This involves, for example, the selection process of Ukrainian constitutional judges and a stronger fight against corruption – especially at high levels. The EU also demands that standards in the fight against money laundering are met and that a law against the excessive influence of oligarchs is implemented. However, starting accession negotiations is not a guarantee of accession.
EU curbs Ukrainian aspirations
Following the appointment of the new head of the National Anti-Corruption Office, Semen Krywonos, in March, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal had already described all steps as having been completed in May. A European Commission interim report in June, however, saw only two of the seven criteria met.
“The main obstacles for Ukraine are the reform of the Constitutional Court and the fight against corruption and oligarchs,” diplomatic circles said at the time. Ukraine, on the other hand, implemented Brussels’ recommendations to reduce political influence in the media and reform the judicial system.
Since then, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has encouraged Ukraine to make further reforms. On the sidelines of the NATO summit in Lithuania in July, she named the fight against corruption and strengthening institutions as tasks in which the EU could provide further support. Ukraine’s pace of reform is impressive, even though the country is fighting a defensive battle against Russia. “And this basic requirement of reforms applies to both membership of the European Union and NATO. We can provide intensive support here,” she said.
Election year with question marks
Ultimately, the fight against corruption is also important to Zelenskyy in terms of domestic politics. The next presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for next year. Whether this is actually possible is questionable. According to Zelenskyy, this requires not only changes to the law, but also money from foreign partners and international election observers.
According to many experts, elections cannot be held during war for constitutional reasons. For example, due to martial law, some basic human rights – such as freedom of expression and assembly – may be restricted, which would contradict democratic elections.