Zelensky has a high bar to cross.After independence in 1991 Ukraine was run by alternating groups of oligarchs, Pro- and Anti-Russian, taking turns to campaign on their rivals' corruption.Zelensky's own anti-corruption campaign in 2019 was said by his opponents to be bankrolled by his former business partner Kolomoisky, wanted by the FBI, who fled Ukraine for Switzerland after Poroshenko's corrupt regime found him guilty of siphoning off over $5bn in public funds via Cyprus to Israel (he has both passports).Ukraine before the war was the most corrupt, and consequentially the poorest country in Europe. Zelensky's anti-corruption credentials had fallen with his popular support from 80% in 2019 to 20%.The 'anti-corruption' TV president has now fired for corruption several of the personal assiociates he brought in to replace others he previously fired for corruption.Questions still remain about his wife's offshore accounts revealed in the Pandora Papers just before the Putin's invasion.All this like the war is ultimately the legacy of a corrupt Soviet Empire before 1991.  Putin's 'solution' was to give his own corrupt Yeltsin-era oligarchs an ultimatum 20 years ago: pledge allegiance to me as the new Boss, or face prosecution for corruption.Ukraine stuck to alternating billionaire gangs.The war is a nightmare for Ukraine, as for many ordinary people in Russia, and a bad dream for Europe.Yes, flood the poor country with defensive arms - but also with daylight.

Zelensky has a high bar to cross.After independence in 1991 Ukraine was run by alternating groups of oligarchs, Pro- and Anti-Russian, taking turns to campaign on their rivals' corruption.Zelensky's own anti-corruption campaign in 2019 was said by his opponents to be bankrolled by his former business partner Kolomoisky, wanted by the FBI, who fled Ukraine for Switzerland after Poroshenko's corrupt regime found him guilty of siphoning off over $5bn in public funds via Cyprus to Israel (he has both passports).Ukraine before the war was the most corrupt, and consequentially the poorest country in Europe. Zelensky's anti-corruption credentials had fallen with his popular support from 80% in 2019 to 20%.The 'anti-corruption' TV president has now fired for corruption several of the personal assiociates he brought in to replace others he previously fired for corruption.Questions still remain about his wife's offshore accounts revealed in the Pandora Papers just before the Putin's invasion.All this like the war is ultimately the legacy of a corrupt Soviet Empire before 1991.  Putin's 'solution' was to give his own corrupt Yeltsin-era oligarchs an ultimatum 20 years ago: pledge allegiance to me as the new Boss, or face prosecution for corruption.Ukraine stuck to alternating billionaire gangs.The war is a nightmare for Ukraine, as for many ordinary people in Russia, and a bad dream for Europe.Yes, flood the poor country with defensive arms - but also with daylight.

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