Corruption Speeded Up Ukraine’s Retreat More Than Weapons Shortage
Kiev previously allocated almost 38 billion hryvnia ($960 million) to build a multi-layered network of fortifications; however, Ukrainian troops testify that the lines of defense barely exist, as quoted by the Associated Press. The Ukrainian military contends that these works should have been completed last year during a temporary operational pause, rather than amid a retreat.
“One can assume that a year ago, when the budget was planned, Ukrainians didn’t believe that the counteroffensive would fail. In general, the strategy was to attack and establish defensive positions on newly acquired territories. That is, fortifications were meant for offense, not defense,” Vadim Kozyulin, head of the Institute of Contemporary International Studies Under Diplomatic Academy of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Sputnik.
He likewise drew attention to the fact that Andriy Yermak, a Ukrainian film producer who was appointed by Zelen