Author’s articles
The attack in the Holosiivskyi district has highlighted what experts have been saying for years: the lack of proper combat training for patrol officers and a crisis of leadership within the force. ThePublic has analysed how the patrol police force has developed and why the reform, which began with a high level of public trust, has found itself at the centre of the biggest scandal in its entire history.
Following the terrorist attack in Kyiv, experts are once again debating the legalisation of firearms. Some are in favour, whilst others are firmly opposed. ThePublic has compiled the experts’ views, the history of legislative initiatives and the experiences of other countries.
Yevgeniy Zhukov, Head of the Patrol Police Department, has not yet submitted his resignation and has not been suspended from his duties.
First Deputy Finance Minister Roman Yermolichev stated that the government would find additional funds to finance the ESBU. However, a clear plan is required from the bureau: when and how many staff members will be hired.
Viktor Dubovyk has stated that he will stand by his position following the selection committee’s decision not to endorse his candidacy for the post of Head of ARMA. He made this clear in a comment to ThePublic.
Danylo Getmantsev, Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, stated that the head of the Economic Security Bureau, Oleksandr Tsyvinskyi, should be not only politically independent, but also professional and results-oriented. However, the parliamentary committee currently sees no signs of improvement within the Economic Security Bureau.
Orest Mandziy, Head of the State Customs Service of Ukraine, received a salary of 375,427 UAH from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine immediately after his appointment to the new post.
Amid complaints from the director of the Economic Security Bureau about insufficient funding, his deputy, Yuriy Belousov, received a salary of almost 200,000 hryvnias in March. By contrast, his predecessor’s salary averaged 95,000 hryvnias.
MP Maksym Buzhansky stated that the ESBU had failed to demonstrate its effectiveness either in combating economic crime or in the re-certification process, and that it was therefore too early to consider providing additional funding to the agency. He also noted that teachers, doctors and police officers in frontline regions receive significantly lower salaries, yet do not complain about it.
The Economic Security Bureau could exhaust its entire budget for 2026 as early as September. This would lead to the complete collapse of the ESBU. Meanwhile, the government has allocated 199 billion hryvnias this year to a special reserve for the security and defence sector, which is intended to be funded by the proceeds from the formalisation of the economy.
Danylo Getmantsev, a Member of the Ukrainian Parliament and Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Tax and Customs Policy, has stated that he is dissatisfied with the work of the new team at the Economic Security Bureau. According to him, the time has come to draw conclusions, so MPs plan to hear from the Bureau’s leadership as early as next month.
Over the years of the war, the budget has lost over 90 billion hryvnias due to the proliferation of illicit tobacco products. However, the Economic Security Bureau’s track record in this area is disappointing: not a single criminal case has been brought for the smuggling of excise goods, and nearly 18% of the cigarette market remains in the black market.
