I agree with Vitaliy Portnykov: we all need to stand shoulder to shoulder

I hadn’t planned to write this, but staying silent would be a mistake — especially when it concerns the hosts of Espreso, the channel I once founded.

Vitaliy Portnykov. An outstanding publicist. He has values, sympathies, and convictions but isn’t tied to politicians. He’s not a politician himself and never wanted to be. He’s a patriot who’s defended Ukrainian culture and statehood all his life.

And now, out of nowhere, Ukrainian pro-Russian figures, followed by Russians, and then some people launching a political project during the war, have decided to harass him. They’re sharing a cut-up fragment of a year-old conversation, layering their own twisted interpretations, drawing bloody “caricatures,” and spreading threats from pseudo-military accounts.

Why? Because Vitaliy said MPs’ children and farmers’ children alike should fight to defend the country. Because he said we’re all equal, that there’s no aristocracy, and that we need to stand shoulder to shoulder.

I agree with Vitaliy. My relatives and friends are on the frontlines, serving in ordinary combat brigades. I know their comrades — from Zhytomyr, Kharkiv, Volyn, even Crimea.

I also know the ones attacking Vitaliy from the comfort of safety far behind the front. This pack of jackals is even joined by certain government officials. They’re worried about elections, scared of losing the support of those dodging military service. And, of course, some just don’t like Vitaliy, even though his stance should be objectively supported.

Given the threats against him, the channel will file a formal report with Ukraine's Security Service.

Here’s another example. Serhiy Zgurets, a brilliant military analyst from Defense Express — a respected military agency that collaborates with Espreso — recently exposed shady dealings at the Ministry of Defense. According to him, the Defense Procurement Agency signed a contract for anti-tank mines from World War II. These outdated mines, analysts say, are poor quality and cost almost as much as new ones, despite cheaper alternatives being available. Shortly after, a well-known advertising agency contacted the channel, offering to “remove” the material — for a fee. Espreso refused and made this public.

Meanwhile, there’s ongoing tension between some public figures supporting the agency’s director and the Ministry of Defense itself — though the minister denies it.

And now, a well-known journalist, someone who was recently harassed by the authorities, has taken a swipe at Zgurets’ work, dismissing it as “chatter.” The irony is that a few weeks ago, when Zgurets first exposed suspicious funds transfers at the agency, this same journalist eagerly shared the report. Because this information was convenient. Both stories are true, but only one was useful to him.

Friends, too many of us are caught up in lobbying wars and personal feuds. Many people rely on the talents of Trump, who will become an inaugurated president tomorrow. They have started an election campaign.

But we have to understand that the enemy hasn’t disappeared, hasn’t stopped its attacks. Our victory depends on honesty, responsibility, and solidarity.

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About the author. Mykola Knyazhytskyi, journalist, Ukrainian MP

The editorial staff does not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.