Day 525
"People are divided now into those who fight and who actively help the army, those in the rear who try to make ends meet between anxiety attacks, those who live as if nothing has happened, and the people who take bribes, buy up real estate and so on," an anonymous official told RBC-Ukraine.
Another [anonymous] official recommends talking to developers and sellers of expensive sedans, who will tell you how the solvent demand for luxury housing and cars has recently increased…
It is, of course, impossible to estimate the overall scale of corruption in Ukraine. In absolute numbers, it’s probably less than before the Great War, but only because the overall volume of the economy has shrunk significantly. But it is particularly infuriating that thefts take place in wartime… …For many ordinary Ukrainians, their Facebook feeds remind them of martyrs: another relative, friend, classmate, colleague, friend of friends who died at the front. It is especially infuriating that mixed with these tragic messages are references to new corruption scandals
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The above illustrates the lopsidedness we complained about the other day
, the imbalance swell-sounding promises Z makes versus the unremitting dysfunction of state institutions (executive branch, parliament, courts) which are needed to provide the agency he so desperately seeks on the international stage. Otherwise, we’re just another banana republic with an oversized army.In other news, Brady and Youyou illustrate how less-than-proactive military assistance to Ukraine is drawing out the war (and killing more people)
.It appears from this op-ed that Team USA is more interested in Russia not falling apart than Ukraine achieving military success. That might explain the stage-by-stage process outlined by the Pentagon’s former undersecretary of policy that has allowed Russia to prepare months in advance for each successive phase of the conflict, a problem we discussed on Day 515
.The people who want Team USA to act more resolutely to end fascistic Russia’s genocidal campaign might agree political leaders in Kyiv should first demonstrate their willingness to get their own act together.
Ukraine maps show the price of allies’ hesitation (The Washington Post. July 31, 2023)