UKROP

On 2 December 2014, in the Ukrainian Parliament was established an inter-factional group called Ukrop.[9] It includes non-faction MPs Dmytro Yarosh, Andriy Biletsky, Boryslav Bereza, Borys Filatov and Volodymyr Parasiuk.[9] Following the resignation of multibillionaire Ihor Kolomoyskyi from post of governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, members of his team announced their intention to build a new political force.[10][11]

The political party Ukrop was founded on 18 June 2015,[4] transformed from the party Patriotic Alliance ("Патриотический альянс") registered on September 25, 2014.[12] The head of the party's political council became oligarch[13] Hennadiy Korban.[14]

The party logo was designed earlier by Ukrainian artist Andriy Yermolenko to serve as a sleeve badge for the participants of the war in Donbass. The author released it for the use by the party for a symbolic fee of 1 hryvnia.[12] In its turn, the word "Ukrop" ("Укроп") used by Yermolenko was a repurposed Russian ethnic slur for Ukrainians.[8] Korban was deputy governor of Kolomoyskyi when Kolomoyskyi was governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast from 2 March 2014 till 24 March 2015.

The party's first political activity was when Korban took part in the 26 July 2015 parliamentary by-election in constituency 205 located in Chernihiv[15] (He lost these elections to Serhiy Berezenko of the Petro Poroshenko Bloc, who won with 35.90% of the vote).[15] Korban took second place with 14.76%.[15] During the run-up to these elections Korban was repeatedly accused of bribing voters, the use of black PR and other violations (of the electoral legislation).[16] Berezenko was accused of employing these tactics as well.[16]

The party took part in the 25 October 2015 Ukrainian local elections,[14] with their best region being Dnipropetrovsk.[17] In this city its candidate Borys Filatov was elected Mayor.[18][nb 1] Nationwide (in this election) the party won nationwide eight percent of the total vote.[20] This did not lead to being one of the top seat gainers of the elections.[21]

In 2015 the Ukrainian media reported that the party was allied to Ukrainian oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskyi.[4][14][9][22][23] Korban was his deputy governor when Kolomoyskyi was governor of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast from 2 March 2014[24] till 24 March 2015.[25][26][26]

On 31 October 2015, Korban was arrested and suspected to be head of organized crime group.[27][28][29] The party claims offices of other party members and party offices were also searched by police.[30]

During 17 July 2016 constituency mid-term elections the party won its first two seats in the Ukrainian parliament.[31]

During its November 2016 party congress Kolomoyskyi was elected into the party leadership.[32] By then Korban was not a member of UKROP anymore.[32]

On 23 March 2018 UKROP member Oleksandr Savchenko was appointed Governor of Volyn Oblast.[33][34]

In the 2019 Ukrainian parliamentary election the party won 3 seats in single-seat constituencies, but these seats were won by UKROP members as candidates for Servant of the People (the two parties had no formal allegiance).[1] UKROP itself did not take part in the election.[6]

Tom Burridge of BBC News has described UKROP as a centre-left party,[35] while the European Centre for Tolerance, the European Centre for Democracy Development and the Institute for Ethnic Policy and Interethnic Relations Studies describe UKROP as right-wing.[3] Deutsche Welle described the party as "right-wing nationalist".[33]

The party claims it will create a "New Ukraine" with a social market economy including social welfare programs (including free internet access, environmental reimbursements for healthcare costs, and a public option for those who cannot afford healthcare), nationalization, environmentalism, public-private partnerships, and use of minimal regulation to guarantee "socially responsible business" in Ukraine.[36] It claims that the Russian Federation is a Fascist regime comparable to Hitler's Germany and wants Ukrainian membership in NATO and the EU.[36]

The party also claims it seeks center-right economic reforms. "We support middle class entrepreneurship, de-monopolization, lowering trade barriers and simplification of tax laws, but with an emphasis on patriotism."[37]

The party aims the "complete destruction of the existing bureaucratic corruption system", "new faces in all branches of government and law enforcement agencies, the creation of a new Constitution and gradual "zeroing" of all laws, transparent funding of political parties, as well as the nationalization of strategically important enterprises."[38]

• Official website