Few have heard the story “Stalin’s Chicken,” in which Soviet-era novelist Chingiz Aitmatov recounts the manner in which Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin allegedly taught his underlings how to rule.

The story goes that in 1935 Stalin held a live chicken in front of the perplexed group. Causing it incredible pain, he plucked the chicken’s feathers out. Then, placing the traumatized and naked chicken on the floor, he opened his hand and offered it grain to eat. To the bewilderment of his onlookers, the chicken followed him and ate out of his hand. The implied lesson to his staff was: you can do anything you want to “the people” as long as they believe they depend on you for their survival.

To varying degrees, this paternalistic approach to rule continues to be reflected in Ukraine’s legislation. It makes few references to standards of due diligence and the judicial “reasonable person.” And this paternalistic approach is also reflected in Ukraine’s populist politics, including the preamble to Ukraine’s current Housing Code (upon which the concept of awarding servicemen and women permanent housing is based). It (still!) reads:

“As a result of the victory of the Great October Socialist Revolution in our country, the necessary prerequisites for the resolution of one of the major social problems – the satisfaction of need of workers for housing were created.

“Appreciating the Leninist ideas of the creation of a Communist society and raising the material and cultural standards of living of the people, the Soviet State is gradually realizing the housing development program developed by the Communist Party.” (Housing Code of Ukrainian SSR, Document 5464-X, effective, current edition – latest edition dated July 25, 2018)

There are over 47,000 service-persons on the waiting list for armed forces housing in Ukraine.

However, not a single Euro-Atlantic state promises its service-persons permanent housing. Even the Russian Federation has moved away from its waiting list promises. But despite its “decommunization processes,” Ukraine continues to make these utopian, populist promises.

Shortly after Europe’s ongoing (but seemingly forgotten) war in eastern Ukraine began, Ukrainian citizens were encouraged to go to fight for democratic freedom on the frontlines. Patriotic feelings aside, they were also baited by promises of subsidies, land plots and prioritized delivery of housing. But to many of those who managed to return alive, this priority level appears to be essentially meaningless.

A 41-year old soldier named Ihor Stadnytskiy serves as a case in point. In 2014, when the Russians invaded eastern Ukraine, he went to the front and was allotted 19th place on an armed-forces housing queue for permanent housing in Lviv. Over four years later, his place in the line remains unchanged. His living conditions are the same. In familiar Soviet-style, he shares a 40-square-meter apartment with three families and four kids; despite legal assurances and political statements of support.

Recently, at a presentation by the Independent Defense Anti-Corruption Committee or NAKO, this unsung hero described brutal battles, including how he saved the lives of 10 men and capturing a Zenit twin barrel anti-aircraft gun, all the while being shelled by the enemy.

The presentation was given by NAKO members, a representative of the Defense Ministry’s Main Housing Directorate, and the author of a disturbing report on Ukraine’s armed-forces housing system written for Ukraine’s Accounting Chamber.

Promises made should be promises kept – particularly when they pertain to those who lay their lives on the line for the security of their own state. But Ukraine’s unreformed armed-forces housing system, poor governance and entrenched corrupt schemes (ranging from arbitrary construction “planning” to misappropriation of property and funds, along with waiting list manipulations) continue to feed the post-Soviet mindset, as well as who do not respect “the people,” let alone the rule of law.

Armed-forces housing is one of the most draining problems facing Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense today. At the current rate of progress, it will take over 600 years to satisfy the demand for housing. This is why NAKO suggests that it is time for Ukraine to drop its obsolete and impossible Soviet-era promises. Rather, it should provide its service people effective compensation, armed-forces housing monetization, and capabilities-based planning.

With Ukraine’s presidential and parliamentary elections just around the corner, it will be interesting to see which candidates adopt capabilities and human-security-based approaches to resolving the armed-forces housing question. Even more interesting is how the people will vote.

Recalling Stalin’s chicken – its own corruption is less obvious. The bird, standing for the people, shows no moral courage. By taking handouts and charity, it puts forth no real defense to the aggression forced on it. Having been abused, it does not rise to a higher status of purpose with the knowledge and understanding gained by its experience.  It does not believe, but continues to be dependent, and simply comes back for more.

Lada Roslycky is a research and advocacy manager for the Independent Defense Anti-Corruption Committee.