Wartime profiteers pose deadly threat to Ukrainian lives, post-war future

Recently, a series of scandals about likely corrupt money has swept through. It all started with a socialite's dispute with a former lover over whose money was used to open her beauty salons back in 2015. And, oh God, it turned out that another ex of that lady was not just a top official at the Ukroboronprom company. And in November 2024, he received 8 years in prison for embezzlement through various schemes that deprive the army of ammunition and electronic warfare systems.

Then, two flower bears, costing half a million hryvnias each or more, added fuel to the fire. An Instagram lady who received one for her birthday cursed at Ukrainians, asserted that she was not obligated to support the Defense Forces, and generally advised them to "shut their traps." Popular myths immediately linked her to a deputy of the ruling party. Thus, the impression that corruption is turning into an even bigger problem for the country than the full-scale war is only intensifying.

"I will add a quote from a recent KIIS sociology report. There, the "problem of embezzlement of budget funds" has a rate of 61.5%. And this is far ahead of the item "inadequate preparation for the war," which has 46.6%."

However, the pinnacle of privilege, theft from the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and the holy certainty that nothing will happen to you can be called a recent, egregious story from Kyiv. A driver in a G-Wagen, who parked in a bicycle lane, beat a cyclist who called him out on it. From the blows, the 40-year-old man on the bicycle fell to the ground, and the attacker dragged him to the roadside and fled the scene—all of this was caught on street cameras. The victim was subsequently hospitalized in serious condition: he was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and a fractured temporal bone.

The attacker turned out to be the горе-entrepreneur Oleksandr Khilyk, who is a defendant in a case of embezzling money on procurements for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The essence of this 25 million UAH scheme is simple. In 2022, the businessman's company Global Hill X Group received 25 million UAH of budget funds for the supply of uniforms for military personnel. It is clear that there was a problem with the uniforms, and the money settled in accounts. So the case has been dragging on in the courts for several years.

But in this case, the court constantly releases the suspect on his own recognizance. For a couple of years now—so he has time to ride around in a new car and punch other road users. Interestingly, the next hearing in the case of embezzlement by Khilyk's company is scheduled for October 10.

Why did the scandal with this privileged individual take a new turn? Because for the severe and public beating of the cyclist, the court sentenced him to night house arrest, despite the fact that even the prosecutor requested custody.

The internet has already found out that this Khilyk has two adopted children, and the blonde who was sitting in the car while her beloved was finishing off the cyclist is about to give birth to a third. So it is not out of the question that this unruly gentleman, following a traditional scheme, will flee abroad as a happy daddy of three little angels. And he will love Ukraine temporarily from there. Until new schemes arise—for example, on post-war reconstruction.

The appearance of such stories in a heap—when Russia is activating literally the entire arsenal of hybrid warfare methods—is not just infuriating. I feel my heart boil with rage towards such schemers. And also towards those who simply cover for them. 

"Just a scheme during the war—and you are already a multi-millionaire, and your girlfriend, wife, or lover is selling "successful success" courses on Instagram or opening a salon and a clothing store—traditional "laundromats" for black money."

Just dozens of such schemes here and now are the obvious reason why slogans about the 1991 borders first disappear from politicians' rhetoric, and then the 2022 ones. And foreign formulas for freezing the front line and negotiations mediated by Donald Trump are already quite acceptable.

The privileged, the schemers, and their ladies—thirsty for luxury and money—are becoming the rats that are dragging our ship to the bottom. And the question for everyone who has the ability to fix this is—are you really sure that you will be earning in the same way if Russia hangs its flags here?

The history of the occupation of Donbas and Crimea in the first phase of the Russian-Ukrainian war clearly shows how Russia throws used material overboard. Those who wanted to profit from schemes—but it turned out that the new authorities have their own reliable personnel for this, who also want money, power, and fame.

Specially for Espreso

About the author: Maryna Danyliuk-Yarmolaieva, journalist.

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the authors of the blogs.