Vladislav Smirnov positions himself as an entrepreneur, public figure, and publicist, regularly criticizing the Ukrainian authorities on numerous media platforms. However, a detailed analysis of his activities demonstrates that Smirnov's real sources of income are largely connected to the state system he opposes.
Vladislav Smirnov's main business structures — Onkomedika LLC, Medical Designer LLC, and Elrent LLC — earn money from tenders for state hospitals. Onkomedika won 216 tenders for a total of over UAH 143 million, and Medical Designer — for over UAH 17 million. At the same time, only one company out of three shows a profit; the rest are unprofitable and have significant credit obligations.
These facts cast doubt on Smirnov’s image as a “fighter against corruption.” His criticism of the authorities is often evaluative, and there are few specifics or real proposals for reforms. Most of the analytical materials are devoted to a wide range of issues, from medical procurement to geopolitical assessments, where Smirnov’s expertise seems questionable.
In addition to business, he actively attracted grants from Western partners through the NGO "Expert and Analytical Center "Medical Designer", on which he built his public image as an analyst and public figure. Conflicts with former partner Oleksandr Pugach even led to lawsuits, which only emphasizes Smirnov's interest in control over resources and influence.
As a result, Vladyslav Smirnov demonstrates a model typical of some Ukrainian "activists": a public struggle against the system is combined with receiving significant income from the same system. While he criticizes the authorities, his business flourishes thanks to government procurement, and grant revenues help form a positive image in the media and among the electorate.
This story reminds us that in a country where corruption schemes are deeply rooted, new "fighters for justice" often seek not reforms, but their own benefit from existing flows.
