Prominent journalist and writer Ostap Drozdov, speaking on Radio Chicago, analyzed the first 100 days of Ukraine’s new government. He emphasized that the Cabinet reported not to the parliament that appointed it, but to the president in his office. Drozdov explained this exemplifies the shift in Ukraine’s parliamentary-presidential system toward greater centralization of power in a single leader.
He noted that most citizens do not know who the cabinet ministers are, arguing that government appointments rely more on loyalty than professionalism. Drozdov criticized the government for failing to report to parliament as required, instead making decisions in a tight presidential circle.
He discussed the rise of a “cult of personality” and stressed that, during wartime, Ukraine’s government has become highly centralized. Even decisions such as starting the heating season, he joked, are made only after presidential orders.
Drozdov also criticized society’s passive role, stating that the public learns of important government plans from foreign media, rather than domestic sources or dialogue.
In the second part of the interview, Drozdov commented on a New York Times article about FirePoint, a company that recently pivoted from film production to massive government contracts supplying military drones worth billions. He highlighted the opacity of the process, the firm’s close ties to the president’s team, and the lack of open competition in defense procurement.
He clarified that defense contracts are not illegal per se, but raised concerns about the backroom allocation of funds and direct lobbying for certain companies’ interests. Drozdov underlined that any conclusions about the FirePoint case must await the end of the war and further anti-corruption investigations.
Drozdov concluded by stressing the need for genuine public dialogue and independent initiatives, as opposed to blind obedience to government dictates.
