The public initiates an audit of the million-dollar incomes of grant activists during the war: "they harm the state for money"

Law enforcement and authorized bodies should conduct a real audit of the activities of public activists who implement lobbying projects and participate in public councils of strategic enterprises. This is a matter of national security in the context of war, - believes political expert Oleh Posternak, reports UNN.

"Activists" are mastering millions of dollars, implementing lobbying campaigns in favor of various businesses, politicians and even foreign governments. They influence the dismissal and appointment of ministers, ensure coverage of criminal cases in a light favorable to one of the parties, etc. But in return, they bear no responsibility for their actions. In the context of war, this becomes a matter of national security," Posternak wrote.

He stressed that law enforcement and authorized political bodies should conduct a real audit of the activities of "anti-corruption", "public councils" and "champions of democracy".

One of the most odious activists, the expert called Vitaliy Shabunin, who is assisted by Yuriy Nikolov.

"It is known that USAID (when it still provided grants) paid Shabunin's Center for Combating Corruption up to $1.5 million a year. For these funds, it would have been possible to purchase up to 5,000 fpv for the army. But they went personally to Shabunin and Nikolov. More than $100,000 a month," he said.

According to him, Shabunin and his company were supposed to help build powerful anti-corruption structures in Ukraine with these funds, but this did not happen.

"As a result, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which is allegedly controlled by the Center for Combating Corruption, spends more money than it catches corrupt officials. In 2024 alone, the state budget spent UAH 1.874 billion on the maintenance of the NABU, while the Bureau's activities led to the return of only UAH 823 million from corrupt officials... In general, the latest scandals with NABU employees who trade drugs, detectives who record dubious fortunes on relatives - make the picture more "vivid". It is complemented by VAKS judges who live their luxurious lives without any pangs of conscience," the expert noted.

Posternak noted that other areas are not lagging behind the anti-corruption efforts.

"In the first three years of the great war, the publication "Detector Media" increased its revenue by 2.26 times (from UAH 34.2 million in 2022 to UAH 73.4 million in 2024). The owner of "Detector Media" is Ligacheva, who worked with both sanctioned Poroshenko and suspected Kolomoisky. And now - defends democracy. More precisely - "always defended it". Well, yes, we believe it," he commented.

The same situation, according to the expert, is with another alleged "watchdog" - the Institute of Mass Information: IMI increased its revenues by 2.35 times in the first three years of the great war - from UAH 26.2 to 61.77 million.

In general, according to him, a new caste of untouchables has been formed in Ukraine.

"Grant-eaters-"invisible" - active participants in lobbying or black PR campaigns on the side of individual institutions or politicians. They master millions. They are often evaders, or perform fictitious service. They put pressure on the state in the war. And there are also various public councils at enterprises of strategic sectors of the economy and at law enforcement and judicial bodies. They consist of the same activists without any (!) experience and competence in these. And they work for the interests of no one knows who. More precisely, it is known for what - for their own, "pocket", - Posternak summed up.