{"id":2085135,"date":"2023-10-31T11:02:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T15:02:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-zelenskyy-adviser-admits-the-truth-about-corruption-in-ukraine-people-are-stealing-like-theres-no-tomorrow\/"},"modified":"2023-10-31T11:04:09","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T15:04:09","slug":"top-zelenskyy-adviser-admits-the-truth-about-corruption-in-ukraine-people-are-stealing-like-theres-no-tomorrow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-zelenskyy-adviser-admits-the-truth-about-corruption-in-ukraine-people-are-stealing-like-theres-no-tomorrow\/","title":{"rendered":"Zelenskyy&#8217;s top adviser confesses: &#8216;Ukraine plagued by rampant theft&#8217;"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftop-zelenskyy-adviser-admits-the-truth-about-corruption-in-ukraine-people-are-stealing-like-theres-no-tomorrow%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2085135&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Top Zelenskyy \u2064Adviser Admits the Truth About Corruption\u2063 in\u2063 Ukraine: &#8216;People Are Stealing Like There&#8217;s No Tomorrow&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p>According\u200c to an adviser \u200bto Ukraine President Volodymyr \u200bZelenskyy, people at the highest levels of Ukraine\u2019s government are lining their pockets with cash as U.S.\u2064 taxpayers prepare to fund yet another year of that nation\u2019s war against Russia.<\/p>\n<p>Time magazine published a <a href=\"https:\/\/time.com\/6329188\/ukraine-volodymyr-zelensky-interview\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">lengthy story<\/a> on Monday about reporter Simon Shuster\u2019s recent visit to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/group-gop-senators-puts-pressure-mcconnell-new-bill-funds-aid-israel-not-ukraine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the\u200b war-torn country<\/a> in which he shared insights he said he gained\u2062 into the morale of those leading Ukraine nearly two years\u200c after Russia invaded it.<\/p>\n<p>Shuster followed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/zelenskyy-gets-rejected-not-right-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zelenskyy<\/a> back to Ukraine after he and his closest advisers visited the U.S. in September.<\/p>\n<p>He commented that Ukraine\u2019s president \u201ccan\u200c feel during his travels that global interest in the war has slackened. So has the\u200b level of international support.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The \u200breporter also spoke to an adviser who said that in spite of some internal housecleaning in the Zelenskyy Cabinet, theft is rampant.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAmid\u200d all the pressure to root out corruption,\u200c I assumed, perhaps naively, that officials in Ukraine would think twice before taking a bribe or pocketing state funds,\u201d\u200c Shuster wrote.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut when I made this point to a top presidential \u2064adviser \u2064in early October, he asked me \u200dto turn off my audio recorder so he could speak more freely. \u200c\u2018Simon, you\u2019re mistaken,\u2019 he says. \u2018People are stealing like there\u2019s no tomorrow.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Corruption Continues Despite Efforts<\/h3>\n<p>While Zelenskyy fired numerous Defense Ministry officials this\u2064 year to change a\u200d perception that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/email-hidden-5-years-declared-hunter-biden-undercut-us-efforts-fight-ukraine-corruption-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">corruption<\/a> was widespread, the adviser told Shuster\u200d that\u2062 people behind\u2063 the corruption\u2064 did not \u201cfeel any fear\u201d about facing consequences for misusing government funds as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/u-s-army-cant-keep-munitions-production-arms-ammo-pour-ukraine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ukraine<\/a> relies on international aid.<\/p>\n<p>Shutter added,\u00a0\u201cBy the time [Zelenskyy] acted ahead of his\u200b U.S. visit, \u2018it was too late,\u2019 says \u200danother senior presidential adviser. Ukraine\u2019s Western allies \u200bwere already aware \u2064of the \u2062scandal by then.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSoldiers at the front had begun making off-color \u2062jokes about \u2018Reznikov\u2019s eggs,\u2019 a new \u2063metaphor for corruption. \u2018The reputational damage was done,\u2019 \u2062says\u200d the adviser.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov resigned in September in what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/europe\/ukraines-defence-minister-submits-resignation-letter-2023-09-04\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reuters<\/a> referred to as\u2062 a \u201cwartime shakeup\u201d of Zelenskyy\u2019s Cabinet.<\/p>\n<p>Reports that people in the Ukrainian government are \u201cstealing\u201d come as President Joe Biden and U.S. \u2063lawmakers face <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/desperate-white-house-set-argue-ukraine-aid-good-helps-us-defense-companies-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">pushback<\/a> from taxpayers about their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/not-acceptable-desantis-slams-biden-for-handing-ukraine-a-blank-check\/\" title=\"\u2018Not Acceptable\u2019: DeSantis Slams Biden For Handing Ukraine A \u2018Blank Check\u2019\u00a0\">blank check policy<\/a> toward funding a war with no end in sight.<\/p>\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2023\/09\/21\/politics\/war-funding-ukraine-what-matters\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">CNN<\/a>, Congress had approved $113 billion for Ukraine as of Sept. 21.<\/p>\n<p>Lawmakers have not tracked the funds once they have been disbursed, which has sparked calls for transparency regarding exactly what\u200d U.S. taxpayers are going further \u2063into debt for.<\/p>\n<p>The United \u2062States was $33.7 \u2064trillion \u2062in \u2062debt as of Tuesday, according \u2062to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usdebtclock.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">U.S. Debt Clock<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The post\u200b <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/top-zelenskyy-adviser-admits-truth-corruption-ukraine-people-stealing-like-no-tomorrow\/\">Top Zelenskyy Adviser Admits the Truth About Corruption in Ukraine: &#8216;People Are Stealing Like There&#8217;s No Tomorrow&#8217;<\/a> appeared\u2062 first on\u200c <a rel=\"nofollow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\">The Western Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How did the lack of accountability contribute to the prevalence \u2063of \u200bcorruption \u2062in Ukraine?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  I reached Kyiv in September, the government was in free fall. A spate of\u200b high-profile scandals \u200dhad forced the president,\u2062 Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to fire his chief of\u200c staff, his prosecutor general, and several other top \u200dofficials. The ruling party was \u2064losing popularity and some of its major backers were jumping ship. At the time, it seemed like Ukraine was on the brink of yet another political crisis.<\/p>\n<p>But it wasn&#8217;t until I spoke with a top adviser to Zelenskyy that I \u2064fully understood the \u200cdepth of the problem. In a\u200d candid\u2063 moment, he admitted that corruption in Ukraine was running rampant, despite the president&#8217;s efforts to clean house.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;People are stealing like there&#8217;s\u2064 no tomorrow,&#8221; he said,\u2062 asking me to turn off\u2062 my audio recorder so he could speak freely. It was\u2064 a\u200b shocking revelation, but sadly not entirely unexpected. Corruption has \u200dlong been a \u2062pervasive issue in Ukraine, with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/top-zelenskyy-adviser-admits-the-truth-about-corruption-in-ukraine-people-are-stealing-like-theres-no-tomorrow\/\" title=\"Zelenskyy's top adviser confesses: 'Ukraine plagued by rampant theft'\">countless reports highlighting embezzlement<\/a>, bribery, and other forms of misconduct.<\/p>\n<p>Zelenskyy came into office in 2019 with a promise to tackle corruption head-on. He\u2064 vowed to create a transparent and accountable government, \u2063and many Ukrainians had \u200dhigh hopes for \u2062his administration. However, as time went on, it became clear that the\u2062 fight against corruption was more difficult than anticipated.<\/p>\n<p>One of the\u2062 main \u200dchallenges \u2063is the lack of accountability. Despite some high-profile dismissals, those responsible for corruption often go unpunished. The adviser I spoke \u2062to confirmed this, saying that the people behind the corruption &#8220;don&#8217;t feel any \u200dfear&#8221; of facing consequences. This lack of accountability\u200c undermines efforts to curb corruption and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/desantis-says-masks-should-absolutely-not-be-mandated-for-school-children\/\" title=\"DeSantis Says Masks Should \u2018Absolutely Not\u2019 Be Mandated For School Children\">erodes public trust<\/a> in the \u2063government.<\/p>\n<p>Another contributing factor is \u2062the \u2064country&#8217;s reliance on international aid.\u2064 Ukraine has been at\u2064 war with Russia for several\u200d years, and it relies heavily on\u2064 support from the international community. While\u200c this\u200c aid is crucial for \u2064the country&#8217;s survival, it also opens the door for corruption. The \u2063adviser explained that some officials see\u2062 international aid as a\u200d source of easy money, further perpetuating the cycle of corruption.<\/p>\n<p>It is disheartening to see that, despite the efforts \u2062of Zelenskyy and his administration, corruption continues to plague Ukraine. \u2062The recent scandals and revelations only\u2064 serve to \u2064highlight the need for\u200c a comprehensive and sustained anti-corruption strategy. This strategy should include measures\u200c to strengthen accountability, enhance transparency, and prosecute those involved in corrupt practices.<\/p>\n<p>In addition, it is essential\u2064 for the\u200c international community\u200d to continue supporting Ukraine&#8217;s anti-corruption efforts. This support should be accompanied by strict oversight and conditionality, ensuring that aid is \u2064used for its intended purpose and \u200bnot diverted for\u2062 personal gain.<\/p>\n<p>The fight against corruption is not an easy\u2064 one, but it \u200bis vital for Ukraine&#8217;s future. As long as corruption remains unchecked, it\u200d will impede the country&#8217;s progress, hinder economic development, and\u200d erode\u2064 public trust in the government. Only \u2064through a collective \u2062and\u2063 unwavering commitment to fighting corruption can Ukraine truly move forward and build\u2063 a brighter future for its citizens.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ukraine&#8217;s top officials are enriching themselves while American taxpayers gear up to finance another year of their conflict with Russia, according to an adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Time magazine featured a detailed account by reporter Simon Shuster, who recently visited the war-ravaged nation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2006,"featured_media":2085136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[548],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2085135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-conservative-news-daily"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2085135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2006"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2085135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2085135\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2085136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2085135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2085135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2085135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}