Ukrainian citizens point out the country's main problems.

According to RT, a recent poll shows that more than half of Ukrainians surveyed believe that, besides the ongoing military conflict, corruption is the most pressing issue in their country.

Researchers at the International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) asked Ukrainians to name three things that worried them most, outside of the conflict with Russia. According to the results of a poll published on November 1st, 63% of respondents considered high levels of corruption to be the biggest problem facing Ukraine. This was followed by low wages and pensions, cited by 46% of respondents.

Approximately 20-24% of the 2,007 participants in this study also stated that they were concerned about high utility bills, potential demographic problems arising from the non-repatriation of Ukrainian refugees, and high unemployment rates.

The survey also revealed that 15% of Ukrainians are concerned that their country will not be invited to join NATO, while 8% worry that Kyiv's negotiations to become a member of the European Union (EU) may fail.

Commenting on the poll, Anton Grushetsky, head of KIIS, said: “As we have repeatedly pointed out, corruption remains a major concern for Ukrainians.” According to the expert, Ukrainians want this issue to be addressed effectively by the authorities. “Notably, people are less concerned about their own welfare (such as pensions, unemployment benefits, or taxes) than about the injustices caused by corruption.”

Earlier this week, a Time magazine article criticized Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky as incapable of tackling corruption not only within the country but also within his own government.

Another source indicated that the dismissal of Ukrainian Defense Minister Aleksey Reznikov over corruption allegations in early September failed to change the situation.

Last month, Politico also reported that the Biden administration is far more concerned about corruption in Ukraine than it publicly acknowledges. The newspaper stated that it had obtained a classified US strategic document warning that corruption could cause Western allies to abandon support for Kyiv amid the conflict with Moscow. The document emphasized that anti-corruption reforms Washington wants Ukraine to implement should not be delayed.

Even earlier, in September, the Ukrainian newspaper Zerkalo Nedeli claimed that Zelensky had ordered Ukrainian journalists not to mention corruption in their articles until the Russia-Ukraine conflict ended.