Ukraine’s oligarchs are involved in all aspects of national life. The novel coronavirus crisis is no exception. As Ukraine started adopting measures to curb the disease’s spread last week, one of the first things on President Volodymyr Zelensky’s to-do list was inviting Ukraine’s richest for a meeting.
Zelensky and his closest entourage sat across the table from 15 millionaires and billionaires, with the two richest oligarchs, Rinat Akhmetov and Ihor
Kolomoisky, taking seats in the center. The president asked them to help Ukraine fight the pandemic.
At least, that’s what we were told they spoke about. The meeting wasn’t public, and all we saw from it was one photograph and a half-page press release. Even this was released hours after the meeting, and likely only because journalists spotted oligarchs’ cars arriving at the president’s office.
This is at least the second time when Zelensky has asked the oligarchs to chip in for the sake of the country. He also addressed them in the beginning of his term in 2019, asking the richest Ukrainians to help revive the Donbas after Russia’s war ends there.
With that prospect still in the cloudy future, the oligarchs did other things: Akmetov paid for new ambulances for the region, Victor Pinchuk bought apartments for Ukrainian sailors freed from Russian captivity. Kolomoisky, with his typical dry humor, said he can “paint a kiosk” at maximum. It was his way of complaining about having his weekly spending limited to 20,000 British pounds by a London court that is still deciding whether he embezzled $5.5 billion from the bank he used to own, Privatbank.
Now the oligarchs and several of the richest are expected to help fight COVID-19 and its consequences. “This land has been feeding them for years, now it’s time to give back,” Zelensky said after the meeting.
We don’t know how much the oligarchs will “give back,” at the president’s request, but something tells us that it won’t be anything comparable to how much they’ve taken from Ukraine over the years.
If the president wants to cover expenses in fighting the pandemic, we know of a great place to look for cash. Kolomoisky is suspected of stealing billions from PrivatBank. Akhmetov made billions on the notorious “Rotterdam Plus” energy tariff. Both cases are being investigated by the National AntiCorruption Bureau. If prosecution-worthy crimes are found leading to convictions, Ukraine can confiscate enough money to put up a great fight against the coronavirus and more. Another oligarch not at the table, the exiled Dmytro Firtash, owes billions of dollars for unpaid natural gas to state-owned Naftogaz. These billions are real money in an economy of only $150 billion. Instead of passing the hat and begging the oligarchs, Zelensky should allow real investigations of these untouchables. Ukraine will start winning when the oligarchs start losing and have their stranglehold over the nation broken.
(c) KyivPost
Here is an article you won’t see on the Ukrainian media. It’s from the Roshen FB page. This shows who the real patriots are in Ukraine, and it’s not the trash Zelensky went grovelling to.
10,000 sets of PPE suits are purchased by Roshen
Roshen Confectionery Corporation is already purchasing the first batch of personal protective equipment for health care workers. For many years, Roshen has been implementing charitable projects in the healthcare sector and has not been left behind while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
When working with social projects, Roshen Confectionery Corporation always adheres to the principles of openness, consistency and rationality.
“The current situation regarding procurement and assistance at a critical time for the state is very reminiscent of the situation in 2013-2014. Then, as now, many business representatives and simply indifferent people set out to help, but there was no clearly defined need, no understanding of the priority and everything was chaotic. Often, something was bought in excess, when the other was critically lacking, distributed haphazardly.
Here and now, we, like many others, aware of the insufficient number of IVL devices, rushed to buy them, but when we studied the issues in more detail we realized that it is impossible to buy high-quality IVL devices now, delivery times vary from 15 to 18 weeks. And in order to understand which device to buy, one must know the technical capabilities of a particular institution, namely whether or not there is a system for supplying oxygen and compressed air. And some IVL devices are not limited needs. That is why we are convinced that in times of crisis, charity issues should be kept cold and a clear plan should be kept in mind. So now, in consultation with the coordinator at the MoH responsible for shaping needs and coordinating with philanthropists, we are purchasing what is paramount for the work of doctors and hospitals as a whole in the context of a pandemic – individual protection. 10,000 sets of suits are the first delivery. We understand that this will not completely eliminate the need, but it is a start. We intend to make every effort to assist in this fight. At the same time, we are well aware that victory is only possible through close and effective partnerships, coordination of all responsible business representatives with the MoH and directly with hospitals. Therefore, we urge all stakeholders, both locally and nationally, to coordinate the action, and we, in turn, are open to cooperation, ”commented Irina Ponomarenko, Director of Social Projects Development at Roshen Confectionery Corporation.
The very least these crooks could do is buy a shitload of Chloroquine, issue it to anyone with symptoms free of charge and make the rest available OTC.
Then they could get the other basics needed: masks, paracetamol, hand sanitizers etc.
The government asked the oligarchs to fund apartments for the sailors arrested by Russia in Crimea. Kolomoisky said I might be able to afford to paint a kiosk. Poroshenko funded money for weapons and air defense systems in Kyiv when the Russians invaded. He is one that put money back into the country, unlike the rest of the leeches.
Poro is one of the few (only?) major politicos in Ukraine who actually pulls his weight. I’d like to see him installed as dictator until the chicom bat virus and kremlin rat virus are no longer a threat.
It might happen if Zelensky goes to the dark side. Since he was elected Ukraine has gone backwards. The economy is down, corruption is up, and worst of all, Russia trash are being allowed back into positions of power.
If Corona don’t kill them they will be seriously hurt or killed by the use of Chloroquine! They report the same in Norway as Dr. Fauci warned about in todays press conference.
“The drug cannot be given to pregnant women, those with heart disease, terminal liver and renal disease, retina and hearing loss and patients on antibiotics such as azithromycin and steroid. It can now be given only to patients between 18 to 65 years of age for a seven-day treatment course.”
Trump on Friday sparred with Dr. Anthony Fauci about the effectiveness of the drug in treating coronavirus, as Fauci went out of his way to repeatedly tamp down any notion that chloroquine would be approved for treatment of the disease at any point in the near future, if ever.
Situation is desperate though Knut. If there is something that might help, a patient would be willing to take it, at his/her own risk.
I understand that. They have started tests with Remdesivir, an Ebola medicin. Let’s hope they find the answer, but I’m afraid this will take a long time. In Norway the experts talk about all from 6 months up to 2 years, let’s hope they are wrong.
That’s another media conjuration that you’ve fallen for Knut. Trump only said that he hopes and “feels” the trials will be successful. Here is the direct quote, something very rare with your news outlets,..
“I’m not dismissing it at all, and I hope that interpretation wasn’t widespread,” the doctor answered, but added that there was “no definitive proof it works.”
“So what we need to do is get it available but do it in the context of a protocol … I wasn’t dismissing, I was saying we would be careful.”
I’ve been listening to what they both said on the press conference, you can’t tell me that this is fake news? But nothing can surprise when it’s coming from a T*-supporter 😀
I gave you the quote and I’m not going to help you with your English. You can believe what you want, you have the freedom to be as ignorant as you want. Your hate for Trump blinds you from the truth. All hate blinds but that’s your problem not mine. MSNBC? I rest my case….
So you don’t believe it’s T* in the video? Talking about me being blind 😀
As I’ve told you earlier, I compare T* supporters to what happened in Germany in the 30’s, blind worship 😉
I gave you the quote Knut and it proved you were wrong, again. I’m not a doctor though so I can’t help you with your hateful disillusionment. Take your meds.
And one word humbly missing in the statement…Poroshenko. If it was Medvedchuk his name would be in there 20 times.
Medvedchuk only deals in rubles.