The corruption scandal currently rocking the government of Ukraine says a lot about what the ruling classes of nation-states really care about. While they often own the media and choose the politicians who tell us that “we’re all in this together,” the reality couldn’t be further from the truth.
In 2019, television comedian Volodymyr Zelensky campaigned for President of the Ukraine. His two main campaign issues were ending decades of entrenched corruption in the state and business sectors, and improving public well-being by making government work better. Since a large majority of Ukrainians thought a group of economic and political leaders were enriching themselves at the expense of the larger society, they supported Zelensky with close to 75% of the vote.
But rather than clean up corruption by increasing transparency between government and business, or by creating more oversight committees to look out for corruption, or by putting independent observers in key positions, he did almost exactly the opposite. Much like Trump has done in the U.S., Zelensky and his administration have left vacant important seats on watchdog committees that look out for corruption, effectively making them powerless. He relaxed anti-corruption rules in the name of speeding up defense production. He has worked with businessmen who he once called criminals. He even signed a bill giving an ally of his control over NABU, the national Anti-Corruption Bureau, only rescinding the law after mass protests forced him to back down. And since he declared martial after the invasion by Russia, he has even stayed in power beyond the end of his term despite not holding an election that would have taken place in 2024. The administration has also used martial law to ban strikes, rip up union contracts, and make it easier for companies to fire workers and impose overtime.
What made scandal really blow up is when it became public that his top political advisor, plus another close friend and business associate and at least eight other officials in his administration have been charged with embezzlement, inflating defense contracts to benefit companies they have relationships with, accepting kickbacks from government contractors, money laundering and illicit enrichment. Some of these crooks were demanding and getting kickbacks of up to 15% of the value of contracts they gave to their contractor friends, in some cases meaning that the contractors paid them back millions of dollars. These were government officials using their influence to give business to friends of theirs in return for big payoffs.
We should all understand that businessmen buying off politicians and shaping political policy is just and normal part of the functioning of any capitalist state. But in Ukraine, it’s happening in the context of a major war and occupation. For three years, Russia has bombarded all of Ukraine and currently occupies nearly one-quarter of its territory. The war has been bloody, with tens of thousands of Ukrainians and hundreds of thousands of Russians killed, drone strikes attacking in previously safe places, and tremendous hardship for Ukrainian civilians.
All of the companies and their officials who were involved in these schemes were in the energy and defense sectors. The services or goods these companies are supposed to provide are essential for the public good or for the defense of the nation against Russia’s nearly decade old aggression. But providing these services isn’t their primary concern.
Instead, they are siphoning off millions in public money to line their pockets. When the money should be getting used to produce the weapons or the power that European aid and Ukrainian people are paying taxes for. This rampant corruption, combined with losses in the war and with the U.S. pressuring Ukraine to give up territory and limiting aid, means that conditions are worsening for millions both domestically and on the battlefield.
Even as soldier lose their lives and limbs in battle, even as millions lose their homes to occupation and fighting, and even as Ukrainians do without electricity and heat for up to 18 hours a day, making a profit and enriching themselves are the only things the politicians and businessmen care about.
Whenever there are economic crises or wars or natural disasters the ruling classes who dominate us and our world tell us that “we must all unite.” Or they say “we’re all in this together” or that “we must share the sacrifice.” But that’s complete nonsense. What they really mean is, “all of you can sacrifice while we continue to live large and accumulate more.” The scandal in the Ukraine illustrates this perfectly.
We must support the people of the Ukraine in their struggle for independence from Russia and its attempted conquest. Ukrainians have every right to fight for their autonomy, their land and their culture. But our support for the Ukrainian people does not mean we support their rulers. Zelensky and the oligarchs that he represents not only live off the backs of Ukrainian workers, but they are also an obstacle to the fight for national self-determination. Zelensky, his corrupt political allies, and the capitalist businessmen who support them all need to go. Just like we need to rise up and rid ourselves of Trump and his political cronies and billionaire friends who are screwing us over here, the Ukrainian people need to rise up and get rid of Zelensky and the political caste and capitalists who rule there.
Ukrainians have already begun to recognize that he doesn’t represent their interests. There have been mass protests against him, his corrupt friends, and his attempts to weaken anti-corruption measures. But they will need to go further and make it their goal to get rid of him and the whole system he represents. And for us watching this corruption in Ukraine from afar, let’s remember that whenever a bunch of political con-men and big capitalists try to get us to unite around a flag or a supposedly shared cause, it’s not because they care about us or have our interests at heart. Let’s remember that there is only thing they really care about – how that war or crisis can help them and their companies get richer off of our labor and our sacrifice.
