(Reuters) - Ukraine’s SBU security service said on Saturday it had uncovered a corruption scheme in the purchase of arms by the country’s military totalling the equivalent of about $40 million.
(Reuters) - Ukraine’s SBU security service said on Saturday it had uncovered a corruption scheme in the purchase of arms by the country’s military totalling the equivalent of about $40 million.
Ukraine used to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world. It dates back to the dissolution of the Soviet Union in '91. All of those Russian satellite countries, including Russia itself had to deal with organized crime and oligarchs and the turmoil and discord they sowed.
This is not a criticism of Ukraine as much as it is an attempt to show those issues don’t just go away in war time, in fact it can extrapolate and make matters much worse as criminals and oligarchs engage in War Profiteering.
I’m actually quite proud of Ukraine and Zelenskyy for keeping a lid on many of those unsavory elements and leading a very effective war against a foreign invader.
This vigilance against corruption (as part of an effort to project the message outside the country) might end up becoming a lasting benefit long after Russia has been defeated, Ukraine is a member of the EU, and NATO.