‘Ukraine’s corruption history’ article by US media outlet sparks backlash

AN NPR article making the rounds on Thursday, July 21, talking about “Ukraine’s history of rampant corruption and shaky governance” has garnered significant backlash from social media users.

Suggestions in the article that there has been a history of “allegations of high-level corruption in Kyiv (Ukraine)” did not go down well with some Twitter users.

The article touched upon the ‘flowing aid’ of billions being pumped into Ukraine by the US and accused the White House of pushing support for Ukraine’s government over “domestic issues like high gas prices and inflation”.

According to NPR, the issue stems from the decision of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to fire and suspend government officials due to alleged ‘collaboration with Russia’.

“In all of our relationships, and including in this relationship, we invest not in personalities; we invest in institutions, and, of course, President Zelenskyy has spoken to his rationale for making these personnel shifts,” State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Monday, July 18.

He added: “Moscow has long sought to subvert, to destabilize the Ukrainian government.

“Ever since Ukraine chose the path of democracy and a Western orientation this has been something that Moscow has sought to subvert.”

However, the change in Ukrainian government officials, as noted by NPR, highlighted issues before the war.

As noted in the article, months before fighting began in Ukraine on February 24 and the billions of dollars of military aid was sent to Ukraine, the US had apparently warned Zelensky’s government “for inaction on corruption that had little or nothing to do with Russia.”

In fact, the US Embassy in Kyiv said on October 9, that “the EU and the US are greatly disappointed by unexplained and unjustifiable delays in the selection of the Head of the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor Office, a crucial body in the fight against high-level corruption.”

“We urge the selection commission to resume its work without further delays. Failure to move forward in the selection process undermines the work of anti-corruption agencies, established by Ukraine and its international partners,” it said at the time.

The article also hinted at a link between Ukraine and US President Joe Biden’s son Hunter, who recently had his iPhone password crack and its contents leaked in imageboard site 4chan.

Following the article, people flocked to Twitter to react.

“Weeding out all corruption doesn’t happen overnight, but if you follow Ukrainian news media, you’ll see evidence of the government tackling the problem. Who’s getting sacked and *WHY*. Transparency. You can do a better story than this mess,” one person said.

Weeding out all corruption doesn't happen overnight, but if you follow Ukrainian news media, you'll see evidence of the government tackling the problem. Who's getting sacked and *WHY*. Transparency.
You can do a better story than this mess.

— Voleth Meir ▪︎ 🇺🇦🌻🇺🇸🦈 (@BlueNCarolina) July 21, 2022

One person on Twitter wrote: “Are you trying to help Russia?”

Are you trying to help Russia?

— FredIsAGirl (@BopBopBing) July 21, 2022

Others called for another solution: “Humanitarian aid only, please. Military aid is extending the war.”

Humanitarian aid only, please. Military aid is extending the war.

— Seattle Dad  (@TheNewzFeed) July 21, 2022

While another person said: “Seriously? Maybe ask yourself why the U.S. and NATO are allowing this to drag on.”

Seriously? Maybe ask yourself why the U.S. and NATO are allowing this to drag on.

— Hope Barrett 🎨🥃 (@AuthorwAttitude) July 21, 2022

“The best time to have this discussion was nine months ago, after Zelensky’s corruption was exposed in the Pandora Papers. Better late than never, I guess!” another wrote.

https://twitter.com/byalexadcock/status/1550035126276734976?s=21&t=tITcmd8zgu8Ce2Ko-aAR_A

“Now that US weapons to Ukraine are going into a black hole and resurfacing in other conflict zones that can set a tinderbox on fire in the Balkans and Middle East, suddenly the West realises that Ukraine isn’t the cute little lamb that they wanted it to be,” wrote another.

Now that US weapons to Ukraine are going into a black hole and resurfacing in other conflict zones that can set a tinderbox on fire in the Balkans and Middle East, suddenly the West is realizing that Ukraine isn’t the cute little lamb that they wanted it to be. https://t.co/i44ezPnhbM

— Kartik Sivaraman (@calm_sutra) July 21, 2022

“When the war started, you were getting all kinds of tweets and news out of Ukraine. Notice how they have all but disappeared?” another person said on Twitter.

When the war started, you were getting all kinds of tweets and news out of Ukraine. Notice how they have all but disappeared? https://t.co/9ShDCji4uj

— LeVar Shelborne 🏳️‍🌈 #BIPOC👠⚧️ #BLM 😷 (@LevarShelborne) July 21, 2022

Another accused the war of being a distraction from ‘the agenda of the World Economic Forum (WEF)‘.

“Take the focus off WEF and their agenda concentrate on UKRAINE! Look at the UN happy to accept KS ideology!” another Twitter user said.

https://twitter.com/anandadiyody/status/1550033812611944448?s=21&t=tITcmd8zgu8Ce2Ko-aAR_A

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