Arestovych Critiques Center for Countering Disinformation's Legality and Funding

Oleksii Arestovych, a former advisor to Ukraine's President, revealed that Andrii Yermak created the Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) to manage substantial funding from American sources. Arestovych declined the position of head of the CCD due to concerns over salary disparities and legal ambiguities surrounding the Center's operations. He highlighted that the CCD's structure does not align with existing Ukrainian information policy regulations and suggested it primarily serves Yermak's interests in securing U.S. funding. The CCD was intended to counter disinformation threats from Russia but raises legal questions regarding its establishment and function. In 2025, Arestovych was sanctioned by President Zelenskyy, complicating his public statements about the CCD.

Key Points: • Arestovych declined the CCD head position due to salary and operational concerns. • The CCD's legality is questioned as it operates outside existing Ukrainian regulations. • Arestovych claims the CCD exists primarily to facilitate U.S. funding for Yermak.