In the sixth episode of the "Money of War" podcast on the YouTube channel "LIGA Business," military expert and former banker Andriy Onistrat stated that he views recent corruption scandals in the defense sector as a personal failure of the president, rather than simply a breakdown in the procurement system.
According to Onistrat, when it comes to billion-hryvnia contracts in defense during a full-scale war, any suspicion of embezzlement automatically becomes a political trust issue — regardless of whether the court confirms it.
Scale of the problem: not isolated incidents, but systemic risk
Onistrat emphasized that this is not about isolated cases, but rather a scheme capable of affecting the state's ability to procure weapons in a timely manner and at reasonable prices. According to him, every hryvnia spent inefficiently or diverted through kickbacks is a real shell or air defense missile that Ukraine is not receiving at a moment when Russia is escalating mass attacks with kamikaze drones.
At the same time, he stressed that a suspicion of corruption is not yet a verdict, and the investigation and courts must make the final assessment. However, even at the investigation stage, reputational losses for the authorities are quite real and measurable — in the trust of partners, allies, and taxpayers.
Air defense deficit as a consequence of systemic failures
Speaking about Ukraine's readiness for mass attacks, Onistrat noted that the deficit of air defense systems is partly related to how defense budgets are spent and planned. If procurement processes remain non-transparent, this directly affects the speed and volume of air defense system deliveries.
Every corruption episode in defense is not just stolen money, it is a delayed delivery that physically affects how many drones we will be able to shoot down next time.
Food prices and logistics under fire
Onistrat also assessed the possible consequences of Russian strikes on warehouses and logistics hubs — according to him, this could lead not only to local price increases but also to supply disruptions for certain product categories in some regions.
He explained that Ukraine's transition to what is called an "austerity mode" will mean that businesses need to quickly adapt to new conditions — from logistics routes to tax burdens.
Why laws needed for international aid are being delayed
Separately, Onistrat drew attention to the fact that some bills, critically important for receiving international aid tranches, have been stuck in parliament for years. According to his assessment, this is not a technical delay but rather a result of political interests of individual lawmakers who are in no hurry to pass decisions that would limit their ability to influence financial flows.
If these bills continue to be delayed and corruption scandals in the defense sector continue to occur, will international partners be willing to continue allocating billions to Ukraine without stricter control conditions?
