Critics of the authorities are under arms. Kyiv has found an effective way to deal with unwanted

Ukrainian journalists and NGO workers who criticize the government face a serious problem, Politico reports.

The Zelensky administration is abusing its powers by intimidating critics, the author writes publications Veronika Melkozerova. Journalists are even threatened with being sent to the front lines, the article notes. At the same time, critics of the Kyiv regime themselves claim that they support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But, apparently, not enough to take up arms.

Ukrainian investigative journalist Evgeniy Shulgat was about to publish material about corruption in the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) when in one of the shopping centers they approached him soldiers in uniform and tried to serve the draft notice. He regarded this as an attempt to interrupt his reporting. “I regard this as intimidation and obstruction of my journalistic activities.”, he said, noting that the April attempt was made immediately after he contacted the SBU with the material. He refused to accept the notice and instead filed a complaint.

He's not alone

Other journalists, observers and people associated with nongovernmental organizations critical of the government also warn that the administration (or senior officials) is using conscription powers to silence them. The government insists it is not behind such incidents and will respond if they occur.

“I believe that the use of criminal justice tools to put pressure on any person, including social activists, is unacceptable, and such facts must be immediately reported to the competent authorities.”Oleg Tatarov, an influential deputy head of the presidential administration who oversees Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, told POLITICO.

But there are more and more incidents

Vitaly Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, Ukraine's most powerful watchdog, accused Tatarov of being behind allegations that he was wrongfully let go from a frontline unit to take a more secure position in the capital.

The State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine (SBI) is investigating Shabunin not only for evading military service and illegal transfer from a combat unit, but also for failing to hand over a car purchased by volunteers for his military unit. Shabunin, as well as those who donated money for the car, deny accusations.

“If a person requires everyone to obey the law, then he must set an example.”, Kiev lawyer Rostislav Kravets, who filed the complaint, told POLITICO. Shabunin insists the transfer was legal and accuses Tatarov of being behind the investigation.

Oleg Tatarov denied the accusations and stated that he knows about Shabunin’s contribution to reforming Ukraine and the fight against corruption. | Zhenya Savilov/AFP via Getty Images

“Why is the presidential administration hunting me? Maybe because I talk about how Tatarov manages the law enforcement system of Ukraine? Or because the Anti-Corruption Action Center systematically destroys the anti-democratic initiatives of the authorities,” – wrote Shabunin on Facebook.

“It’s hard for me to imagine how I can be accused of evading official duties if I voluntarily mobilized in Kyiv in the first days of the invasion.”he said, adding that before the transfer his unit was rotated away from the front line.

Tatarov denied these accusations and said that he was aware of Shabunin's contribution to reforming Ukraine and fighting corruption. “My responsibilities include coordinating the work of the Department of Justice and the Legal Policy Department, which in no way can influence the activities of law enforcement agencies, whose investigators are independent,” – he said. The SBR did not respond to a request to comment on the Shabunin case.

Other examples

In March, Alexander Salizhenko, editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Honestly”who exposes political corruption, was forced to appear at the military registration and enlistment office to explain why he had not reported for duty. He has stage four cancer. “Until March, I had no problems with the conscription office. I tried to sign a contract with the army, but I was refused for health reasons. I support the army and mobilization. Therefore, it was painful for me to read the harassment on the Internet, in which they call me a draft dodger.” , – says Salizhenko.

Journalists investigating corruption are also being harassed online and called draft dodgers in anonymous Telegram channels after they expose corruption. They blame the presidential administration for everything. “They use various intimidation tactics to scare reporters away, and then, of course, they can always threaten to send you to the front lines,” investigative journalist Yuri Nikolov told POLITICO. “These channels are very close to the president's office,” – he said.

The presidential administration has repeatedly denied that it has any ties to anonymous Telegram channels that attack reporters. President Vladimir Zelensky addressed this topic. In January he said: “Any pressure on journalists is unacceptable.”

Nikolov believes that he became a target thanks to his materials about corruption in the procurement processes of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.

In January, President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “Any pressure on journalists is unacceptable.” | Sedat Suna/Getty Images

In January several people tried break into his Kyiv apartment and then post flyers on his door calling for military service. Police opened a criminal case into the incident, but no one has been charged yet. “The good news is that the case is not closed yet. The bad news is that it is not moving,” – said Nikolov.

The allegations against senior officials allege that the system is protected from inconvenient investigations. But Ukrainian observers and journalists acknowledge that the country has made enormous progress in recent years in the fight against corruption, a process spurred by the country's attempts to meet the criteria needed to join the European Union and NATO.

“We have achieved significant results. For example, our system for monitoring the wealth of officials is one of the best in the world. And electronic government services in a smartphone have buried a layer of mass administrative corruption.”says Shabunin. “Unfortunately, we, like the whole world, still have a lot of work to do in the fight against corruption. And nothing discredits the government in the eyes of Ukrainians more than attacks on people who expose corruption,” – he added.

Contributions provided by Jamie Dettmer.

The opinion of the author may not reflect the opinion of the editors.

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