“A Storm in a Glass” with a Taste of Hand-Don Control: How the Stefanishina Case Revealed Interesting Secrets

Loud personnel appointments and equally loud resignations in Ukrainian politics have long become commonplace, but the story surrounding former Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and former Ukrainian ambassador to the United States Olga Stefanishina went far beyond an ordinary procedural conflict.

The diplomat’s return to Kyiv quickly turned into a true detective story, complete with detentions, suspicions from anti‑corruption agencies, and the public exposure of behind-the-scenes agreements that for years influenced the formation of key state institutions.

Before the chair at the Ukrainian embassy in Washington had even cooled after Stefanishina’s official dismissal, the National Anti‑Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti‑Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) served her with a notice of suspicion. The charges involved illegal enrichment for an astonishing sum — 13,9 million hryvnias — as well as issues with inaccurate asset declarations.

For many observers the appointment had seemed odd from the start: allegations of corruption risks were voiced even before her posting overseas, yet the political decision to send the official to represent the country before its main strategic partner was made nonetheless.

Now the diplomatic baton and the role of bridge for communication with the Washington administration and American partners must be taken up by First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko. However, as political gossip has it, questions are already arising around her as well. The talking point has been the million‑hryvnia fees from the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) for teaching — more than 3,1 million UAH for 2024 year and more than 3,2 million UAH for 2025 year — which prompts logical surprise among experts given the colossal daily workload of a government official at her level.