War Is Big Business, in Ukraine as in America

In this interview, analyst Kirill Koktysh identifies some business interests that benefit from war and conflict in Ukraine. The point here is that war is not a purely exogenous event stemming from political or other conflicts, but it also is an event encouraged and instigated by business (and other) interests that benefit from it. He says

“From the other side, if he [Poroshenko] would manage to initiate a peace process, in spite of the pressure from the party of war, which is quite powerful…there are oligarchic and political groups who demand a war and who make points on the current war and current losses.

“First of all, it is the economic reasons, because it produces the possibility to make money. It produces a demand and you can make money by replying to this demand. This means that Kharkov plants are now building tanks.

[Interviewer] So, do I get it right that arms manufacturers can mostly benefit from this ongoing crisis?

“Mainly, the financial groups who own the arms manufacturers as well, because, first of all, the finances are ruling and Ukraine is not an exclusion. First of all, it is Kolomoisky’s interest, who is the governor of Dnepropetrovsk. He makes really good money. He is the main supplier of fuel to the Ukrainian army now, don’t forget this, like Standard Oil in the US. And now, he claims to be the main subcontractor to build a wall between Russia and Ukraine. Technically, it is impossible to built, but, nevertheless, money could be spent on this.

[Interviewer] So, this is the big business as well.

“Any war is a big business and I can’t name a single war which could be an exception.”

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2:35 pm on June 23, 2014