Political analyst Yuriy Romanenko, in a broadcast dedicated to the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion, has issued a sharp critique of Ukraine's internal processes. He drew a direct parallel between the current state of government affairs and the plot of George Orwell's dystopian novel "Animal Farm."
According to the expert, despite the heroic struggle on the front lines, social injustice is intensifying within the country. "You know, Orwell wrote a brilliant piece that, unfortunately, remains relevant for many post-Soviet societies, including ours," Romanenko noted.
He emphasized that over the years of war, a hierarchy has emerged in Ukraine where certain segments of the population have gained special privileges. "We see how the very hierarchy Orwell described is gradually taking shape. Remember the main commandment that appeared on the wall at the end of the book? 'All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.' This sense of being 'more equal' permeates our rear and our management system today," the analyst stated.
Romanenko paid particular attention to the disconnect between those fighting and those profiting from the country's resources. "When some people give their lives at the zero line while others in Kyiv or Lviv settle petty interests under the guise of patriotic slogans—that is 'Animal Farm.' It is when the pigs start walking on their hind legs and putting on human clothes," he added.
The author also criticized inappropriate budget spending during active hostilities. "Look at our tenders, these endless repairs of interchanges, the re-laying of cobblestones while the front lacks basic drones. This is pure Orwellianism! The animals on the farm worked to exhaustion, believing in a bright future, while the elite feasted in the master's house they promised never to occupy," Romanenko summarized.
The political analyst stressed that the lack of internal justice and systemic anti-corruption efforts could become a critical threat to the state. "The most terrifying thing is the degradation of meanings. When corruption is labeled as the 'necessity of supporting the economy' and the restriction of freedoms as 'wartime requirements,' when in reality it is often just a way to maintain power and access to the trough. We see the formation of a caste that believes war is for the 'lower classes,' for those who didn't have time or couldn't strike a deal," Romanenko noted.
According to the expert, Ukrainians must admit that over the years of full-scale war, they have failed to defeat the "internal dragon." "We are fighting an external monster, and doing so heroically, but within the system, the same bacilli that ruined more than one revolution are multiplying. If we don't realize that democracy cannot be built using 'Animal Farm' methods, we will lose to ourselves," Yuriy emphasized.
The analyst remarked that during harsh trials, society can only hold together through justice. "Justice is the only thing that keeps a society together during such trials. As soon as justice vanishes, as soon as there are those who 'can do anything' and those who are 'blamed for everything,' the system begins to rot from the inside. And the enemy sees this; they are counting on it," Romanenko concluded.