Corruption in the army kills

Information campaign that raise awareness about anti-corruption efforts of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry

Invictus Games Team Ukraine

A project for those whose resilience is unmatched

Corruption in the army kills

TASK

Ukrainians don’t have to be told there’s corruption in the army, but they do have to be told what’s being done to fight it. Understanding this, in 2015 the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine adopted a two-year anti-corruption program to tackle corruption on the systemic level. However, due to the lack of communication from the military about these positive changes, the media continued to paint a dismal picture of rampant corruption in the army.

WHAT WE DID

In response to this status quo, Stratcom Ukraine Strategic Communications Centre launched the information campaign “Corruption in the Army Kills! Report Abuse in the Army”. We understood that the cornerstone of any successful anti-corruption program is transparency and openness, which make abuse impossible. But no less important is public control and effective communication. In response, Stratcom Ukraine set out to provide effective internal and external communication about anti-corruption.

RESULT

Internal communication

  • We wanted Ministry of Defence personnel to be our partners in fighting corruption risks in the army; therefore, we distributed materials about professional ethics (involving finance, procurement, etc.). This was a collaborative project with the Scientific Centre on Building Integrity in the Defence and Security Sector.
  • In 2015-2016 we distributed 3,000 anti-corruption reports by the Ministry of Defence. The informational materials were handed out during parliamentary hearings, to military attaches, members of parliament, by embassies, NGOs and Ukrainian defence ministry departments. The high quality of systematic reporting received positive reviews from external stakeholders: DCAF (Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces), CIDS (Centre for Integrity in the Defence Sector), Transparency International, NATO Liaison Office, Delegation of the EU to Ukraine, among others.

External communication

  • To increase the level of public trust in the anti-corruption efforts of the MOD, we launched the abovementioned campaign “Corruption in the Army Kills!” and involved MOD staff, the public, NGOs and stakeholders in its implementation.
  • We also distributed 1,500 “Corruption in the Army Kills!” posters to regional military units, and organized three public events, including on the international level, on fighting corruption. The project reached an audience of over 100,000 through the media.
  • An important component of digital internal and external communication is the online platform defence-anticor.in.ua that gives the public access to information about anti-corruption measures. Within three months of its launch, 63 reports of corruption were received via the online form.   ​

Invictus Games Team Ukraine

TASK

In the three years of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine, one tragic figure continues to rise: the number of veterans and servicemen and women who lost their health while serving their country. Ukraine faces a challenge: How to return veterans to everyday life? What conditions are needed for proper rehabilitation? What state institutions should be taking care of veterans?

WHAT WE DID

2017 was a historic year for Ukraine – for the first time, Ukraine’s veterans and active servicemen and women proved themselves at the international Invictus Games. This is an international sporting event for warriors who were injured and wounded in the line of duty. StratCom Ukraine and Pepelatz Production came up with the idea of Ukraine competing in the Invictus Games back in 2015. Support for the application process was provided by ministries, NATO, a number of organizations in Ukraine and abroad, and volunteer circles. StratCom Ukraine became the coordinating centre of the Invictus Games. We organized the selection of candidates, competitions and trainings, coordinated the supply of everything the athletes needed, and provided media support for the project.

RESULT
  • To provide informational support for the Invictus Games, we created the site invictusgames.in.ua. And to recruit as many potential participants as possible, we teamed up with channel STB, one of the most watched TV channels in Ukraine, as our informational partner.
  • The Stratcom Ukraine team covered the preparations from start to finish and also accompanied Team Ukraine during the competition in Toronto. We also ran a communications campaign to increase awareness about the needs of veterans, in which we were assisted by military psychologists, military experts and foreign advisors. 
  • We initiated and prepared more than 500 publications about our heroes, as well as some 300 TV and radio programs with the athletes, organizers and team partners as guests.
  • Thanks to the project, there are now regional initiatives by local administrations and veterans groups to create conditions for sport rehabilitation and prepare veterans to participate in the next Invictus Games.
  • Ukraine’s results at its first Invictus Games were impressive: the 15 athletes won 8 gold, 3 silver and 3 bronze medals in Toronto.