Facts: Corruption in Ukraine
Ukraine ranks 122 out of 180 in the 2021 corruption index from the organization Transparency International – the second most corrupt country in Europe. Only Russia, ranked 136, is considered more corrupt.
After the popular uprising in Ukraine in 2014, demands were made for concrete progress in Ukraine’s fight against corruption, and the government built up various anti-corruption agencies.
But Ukraine has not made enough of an effort, according to criticism from both the EU and the US. Bribery is said to occur among elected politicians, and the judiciary is often accused of being controlled by the influence of wealthy oligarchs.
There are two wars going on in Ukraine. That against Russia – and that against corruption. In recent years, after the Maidan Revolution in 2014, much has been done to combat the latter. For example, procurement has become public and an ambitious decentralization reform has produced promising results.
— But we should not be naive and believe that there is no corruption in the political leadership, says Jakob Hedenskog, analyst at the Center for Eastern European Studies at the Institute of Foreign Policy (UI).
Want to send a message
After, for reasons given, having fallen into the background during the first months of Russia’s war of aggression, the issue has been brought up again in connection with the fact that a few days ago Zelensky fired his childhood friend Ivan Bakanov, head of the SBU security service, and the Attorney General Iryna Venediktova.
According to Zelenskyy, a large part of the staff in their respective agencies has cooperated with Russia.
“The explanation for why things went the way they did in Kherson probably has to some extent to do with people within the security service leaking information that made it easier for the Russians,” says Hedenskog.
Kherson, both the region and the capital city of the same name, fell early in the war – including after the SBU failed in its mission to blow up the bridge over the Dnieper River, which the Russians used to capture the city.
— Zelenskyy is trying to show that he does not care about friendships, but appoints people whom he judges by their work. He wants to send the message that “even my childhood friend smokes if he doesn’t behave”, says Hedenskog.
According to Zelensky, over 60 employees of the Prosecutor General’s Office and the Security Service (SBU) are alleged to have remained in occupied territory and cooperated with Russia. Over 650 civil servants are suspected of treason.
“But people also need to survive, it might force them to do things that you would rather not,” says Hedenskog.
Suspicions against chief of staff
Zelenskyy was elected president in 2019 with the promise to “clean up” the corrupt Ukraine. But criticism was quickly leveled against him when it emerged that he was giving high-ranking positions to his close friends. He grew up together with Ivan Bakanov, who became head of intelligence without any previous credentials in the field.
Iryna Venediktova was also controversial when she was appointed prosecutor general and is accused of slowing down corruption investigations against people close to Zelenskyi.
Zelenskyi’s chief of staff Andriy Jermak at a press conference at the Ukrainian embassy in Berlin in early February.
When they are now fired, a shadow also falls over President Zelenskyi. At the same time, Zelenskyi is accused of consolidating his own power through dismissals by increasing control over the judiciary.
Ukrainian analysts, who have been relatively quiet and stuck up behind the president during the first months of the war, have also pointed to how Zelensky’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak has been strengthened by the dismissals of recent days. Those who have now been appointed as acting chief and attorney general are described as standing close to Jermak, who is sometimes called Ukraine’s second most powerful man. He too has reached his high position without previous experience – like Zelenskyy, he comes from the film industry.
“Jermak has also been accused of corruption and singled out as a person with dubious interests,” says Jakob Hedenskog.
No other expectations
At the same time, too high gears should not be pulled from the controversies. The EU and the US, which both demanded that Ukraine combat corruption, have made it clear that support for the country in the fight against Russia remains.
Even among the Ukrainian population, support for Zelenskyi remains high.
— I think that many ordinary citizens did not think highly of the political elite to begin with. They have assumed that the politicians are out to kick themselves, and are still fighting hard.