The Age of False Answers

Source: Facebook page of the author

The Kudritsky case marks a new stage in the offensive — not just against one person, but against anyone who dares to speak, question, or resist. What began as isolated pressure on opponents is turning into a systematic purge of those who refuse to stay silent.

The scenario has become almost banal: an absurd accusation, a cover-up by the “authorities,” a court decision dictated by the prosecutor — or, at best, a trial postponed indefinitely despite the lack of evidence and a Kafkaesque storyline.

The main focus, of course, is the courtroom footage and the media hysteria: “He’s on trial!” Even though, the discussion usually concerns preliminary matters like pretrial detention or procedural motions.

All of this is a regurgitation of the Soviet-Russian system of intimidation — a reflection of itself. Its goal is to pacify society, to lull the masses with endless TV marathons and Telegram propaganda, while neutralizing anyone who dares to resist.

Impunity — both the aim and the consequence of this approach — gives free rein to corruption and inefficiency. And that’s the greatest danger, because impunity inevitably leads to failed governance and the theft of essentials.

Recent scandals illustrate this perfectly:

– The “Dynasty” scandal, in which Deputy Prime Minister Chernyshev was caught developing a luxury cottage community during wartime — allegedly “considering the interests” of Yermak and Zelenskyy.

– The “Mindich diamonds” case, where a member of Zelenskyy’s inner circle was implicated in diamond trading with Russia. It’s also worth recalling that Zelenskyy’s business structures have had — and likely still have — ongoing operations in Russia.

– The “Fire Point Casting” scandal, in which a casting agency affiliated with Zelenskyy’s companies became one of the main contractors for the Ukrainian military. It reportedly participated in producing Flamingo missiles, a project already under scrutiny by European partners over transparency concerns.

– The “expensive drones” affair involving the State Special Communications Service, where NABU and SAPO estimated losses of 90 million hryvnias due to inflated procurement costs. It’s hard not to recall how European Solidarity objected when the government moved to confiscate personal income tax revenues from military personnel in local communities — funds redirected not to brigades, not even to the Ministry of Defense, but to shadow structures for embezzlement.

– The “billion-dollar gun shop” scandal, when a tiny Arizona gun shop “won a billion-dollar contract” to supply weapons to Ukraine and even received 17 million euros in advance. Given this approach, it’s no surprise that the Ministry of Defense’s overdue accounts receivable exceed 50 billion hryvnias (over 1 billion euros).

The “Pronin’s silence at the FATF” scandal exposed another glaring failure of Ukraine’s leadership. The head of the State Financial Monitoring Service, Ihor Pronin, failed to secure even a single action or statement against Russia at the latest meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

It’s hardly a surprise. Pronin, long suspected of corruption in the construction of fortifications and fraud at the Asset Management Agency (ARMA), plays a different role altogether. It was he who submitted the “documents” that served as the basis for the so-called “sanctions” against Poroshenko. Those papers, however, had nothing to do with financial monitoring. Conveniently, whenever the Supreme Court demands answers, Pronin is “abroad on business trips.”

What unites this and other scandals is something far more alarming: nearly all involve either theft from the defense sector or profiteering with the enemy—directly creating threats to national security.

Our allies see it. That’s why, according to experts, the government is bracing for a cold shower in the upcoming European Commission report on Ukraine’s “progress” toward EU integration.

A separate report prepared by civil society organizations at the EU’s request addresses, in detail, Ukraine’s corruption, abuse of power, repression of the opposition, restrictions on freedom of speech, and politically motivated “sanctions” against opponents.

These acknowledgments will not remain on paper. They will complicate future aid packages, hinder sanctions policy toward Russia, and hand Ukraine’s critics new arguments against expanding support.

Meanwhile, the corruption, incompetence, and “last-resort embezzlement,” which even officials from the Office of the President privately admit to foreign journalists, are severely undermining Ukraine’s state capacity—and with it, its defense.

Despite censorship, bans on MPs traveling abroad, and the government’s war on the opposition, experts, activists, and journalists continue to expose new scandals. The information breaks through precisely because the rot has reached a scale that can no longer be hidden.

Ignorance and theft, corruption and arrogance—these are now problems of national security.

The only real way out is to replace the current administration of “servants to 5–6 managers in Zelenskyy’s Office” with a professional Government of National Salvation—a coalition of national unity in parliament that would be independent of the Presidential Office and free from political manipulation.

Almost half of those surveyed already support the idea of forming such a Government — and this number continues to grow. Nearly 40% remain neutral, while only 8% oppose it.

The longer the creation of such a government is delayed, the higher the cost for Ukraine — in lives, in territory, and in resources.

Because the current government’s incompetence and corruption are costing Ukraine dearly: on the front lines, in the economy, and on the international stage.