Political scientist Ihor Reiterovych, on the Klyuchok Time channel, analyzes two nearly simultaneous events in Ukraine's internal policy: the publication of electronic declarations by officials and politicians, and the release of a new ranking of the biggest donors to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Reiterovych notes that the high-ranking officials' declarations contain large amounts of cash, making it difficult to verify their legality and raising concerns over potential legalization of corrupt money. He highlights the practice of transferring property to relatives and politicians receiving substantial gifts. He also stresses that only incomes are declared in Ukraine, while expenses are not, making it challenging to assess actual financial status.
Officials publicly claim their main contribution to the war effort is paying taxes, with rare cases of direct donations to the military. In contrast, businessmen and major companies regularly report multi-billion contributions to the Armed Forces. The main donors remain the people of Ukraine, who continue to support the military through charity foundations.
Key donors include Rinat Akhmetov (13.5 billion UAH), the Poroshenko Foundation, and other large companies. These entities pay taxes and additionally fund national defense. According to Reiterovych, this illustrates the social responsibility of business and society, whereas similar support is lacking from the political class.
Reiterovych emphasizes that government representatives should lead by example not only through financial transparency but also by actually supporting the Armed Forces and volunteer initiatives. Recent sociological surveys show growing trust in business, while trust in politicians declines. The expert calls on the political class to act more responsibly and get actively involved in helping Ukraine's army.
