Authored by Martin Armstrong via Armstrong Economics,
How desperate must a government become before it considers taxing pornography to purchase drones for a war it cannot win?
Ukraine is now reportedly considering legalizing parts of its adult entertainment industry to generate additional tax revenue for the war against Russia. Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zhelezniak estimates legalization could bring around $25 million annually into the government's coffers, enough, he claims, to purchase up to 30,000 drones. The legislation has already passed its first reading in parliament and awaits further consideration.
Zelensky has agreed that parliament should consider the proposal after a petition supporting reform attracted more than 25,000 signatures.
You cannot make this stuff up.
Ukraine requires around $120 billion annually for defense, according to reporting on the proposal, and the government is scrambling everywhere it can for money. Its budget deficit exceeds $32 billion as Kyiv simultaneously negotiates with the IMF over additional financial assistance and new taxes. Europe and the United States have poured hundreds of billions into keeping this war machine operating, yet five years into the conflict Kyiv remains financially dependent upon outsiders.
The situation is even more outrageous because the government created this absurdity itself. Producing and distributing
