Ukraine’s Minister of Defense Rustem Umerov sat down with The Washington Post to talk about various developments and aspirations in the war-torn country.
As concerns rise and support is increasingly needed, Umerov emphasized the hope for Ukraine to enter NATO as soon as the war is over. He also spoke about “deterrence” as part of the plan, more specifically, the ability to strike military targets deep inside Russian territory.
Touching on the issue of corruption, Umerov said there have also been issues with the military procurement company Special Techno Export (STE), which was linked to money laundering scandals. It is now under the defense ministry’s control.
Corruption was known to be rampant in Ukraine even before the war, but more eyes are on the country now that billions have been pouring into its coffers to help it defend itself against Putin’s aggression. When a new €50 billion credit line was debated in the European Parliament late last year, MEPs argued that Ukraine needed to improve corruption rates, the independence of its judiciary, the fight against oligarchs, and the fight against organized crime.
Several MEPs also expressed concerns about whether EU funds are going where they are supposed to. Concerns about corruption have also been a major roadblock to the swift accession of the country to NATO.
Umerov additionally spoke about the issue of Ukraine needing more manpower on the frontlines, a problem that led the minister to push for a law lowering the draft age from 27 to 25. Some had said it would be political suicide, but Umerov claims it has resulted in 5 million recruits. He also noted that these new participants can choose how they want to serve, meaning they do not have to go to the front.
Meanwhile, corruption has plagued conscription as well, with $6 million in cash seized from just one medical fraud operation whereby men paid authorities for fake medical exemptions to avoid military service.
There have also been ongoing reports of forced conscription, with one group of angry women just last week attacking military recruiters for what they called unjust mobilization procedures. Many men in Ukraine also attempt to flee.
