Kubrakov’s resignation is sign of resistance of corrupt officials

Author: Yurii Nikolov

Kubrakov’s resignation now is a sign of resistance from corrupt officials.

Changes in the State Agency for the Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure of Ukraine 

• I am well aware of the change processes launched at the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure (formerly Ukravtodor). For example, they have already begun the transition to electronic (!) invoices and have started forcing their customers to publish statements of estimates (i.e., actual prices for construction materials should be open, as well as prices for Reznikov's eggs). And I can imagine very well how many people want to stop/roll back these changes.
• Yuriy Holik was the initiator of the 'Big Construction' as a project in which Kubrakov played the role of an executive with a signature and a seal. After the invasion began, Kubrakov pushed Holik off the sled, who took a seat at Yermak's table. 

• Kubrakov definitely underwent some kind of metamorphosis in the first year of the invasion. The appointment of Mustafa Naiem and Valerii Ivanov to Ukravtodor, followed by its rebranding to the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure, was not a symbolic change. As I said above, it was an efficient one. The results are visible. For me, the best illustration is that before the invasion, Ukravtodor didn't care about publishing statements of estimates, and where they were, the prices were stratospheric. I have been writing about this regularly for years. And now it has changed radically. It is sufficient to say that the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure has published billions of dollars in statements of estimates for the construction of water pipelines, submitted them to the Americans at USAID for verification, and no one - including Nashi Hroshi - could find "cartel margins" in them. This is a real change, not just talk.

Weapons, covering for energy facilities and construction of water pipelines 

• It was Kubrakov's team that brought weapons to Ukraine because Reznikov's Defense Ministry was incompetent. It was his team that started building covers over Ukraine's largest energy substations, not Halushchenko's Ministry of Energy, which is supposed to be in charge of the security of energy facilities. It is his team that is engaged in the construction of water pipelines in Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv regions after the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station by the ruscists, not local regional administrations.

Discrediting campaigns

• During the war, Kubrakov established relations with the Americans, who were the most invested in Ukrainian democracy. Anonymous telegram channels and waste channels have recently spread a wave of ordered fudges that he has sold out to the Americans. This fits in with Zelensky's mood.
• Kubrakov also rated out several construction corrupt officials and "servants of the people" to the NABU. And again, the "Joker" from the "Servant of the People" called him a "snitch and a rat." This fits in with Zelenskyy's tolerant attitude to Tatarov's perception of corruption.
• Therefore, Kubrakov was dangerous for Yermak. Because he was actually an independent communicator with Zelenskyy, the West, and anti-corruption activists.
• Kubrakov was poisoned for a long time. But all those ordered fudges did not impress the West. Therefore, no one dared to accuse him of corruption publicly. They decided to go through the empty-headed "servants of the people" who managed to say something through Bezhin's mouth about the need for decentralization, blah, blah, blah. That is, they decided to dismiss Kubrakov from the post of Minister of Infrastructure because of the division of the ministry into two different ones. This once again made a clown out of Zelenskyy. After all, he recently spoke publicly with Shmyhal about saving budget money by merging ministries (then there would be at least savings on service workers like accountants). And then they decided to divide them, i.e. increase the number of service workers and, accordingly, increase budget payments. That is, in fact, we, the taxpayers, will also pay for Yermak's desire to push Kubrakov off the sled.
• Kubrakov was also discredited with the market. Marchenko at the Ministry of Finance actually blocked the payment of money to the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure. Now the builders are already owed billions (!) for the construction of covers over the substations, and of course, this affects the ability of the builders to do the work. After all, they have to buy concrete and rebar for their billions. And their money is not infinite.

• Kubrakov was also discredited with his own subordinates. Shmyhal's government officials reduced the salaries of Kubrakov's employees to obscenely small amounts. I'll tell you this - people who are involved in billion-dollar procurement at the State Agency for Reconstruction and Development of Infrastructure have salaries of 15 thousand hryvnias this year. I've seen the data - there was no such severe reduction in other government agencies. And only today I see a post that gas station workers have about 20 thousand hryvnias. Of course, workers started to quit en masse. That is, Yermak's structure is deliberately suppressing.

Yermak's fears

• What is the point of all this? I think it's because of Yermak's fear of Zelensky's uncontrolled communication with anyone other than him and Tatarov. And also preparing for large flows of money for reconstruction. After the Ministry of Defense, this will be the largest cash flow in the history of Ukraine. That's why all those open statements of estimates and electronic invoices are just a bunch of bullshit)))
• In general, I feel that way. It would be fair if the newly created "road" ministry were headed by Yurii Holyk (or is he less knowledgeable about construction money?). If the newly created "regional" ministry was headed by Heorhii Birkadze (Google the meme "37 billion was just stolen, oops, invested, sorry, in fortifications"). And Yermak would have become a full-fledged president. Why not. After all, now all these figures are not legally responsible for any decisions. So let them take the seals in their hands and then answer to the fullest extent of the law for what they have done or not done. Otherwise, they are used to nationalizing losses and privatizing profits.

Yurii Nikolov