Kyiv 'privatized' almost every important industy, even the main power company Kyivehnergo is owned by an American now, and they have no problem shutting off grannies whose government retirement is something like $10 a month. Kyivehnergo has a nasty habit of shutting off an entire building if enough residents don't pay. If you go to buy an apartment there, if you find out that more than half of the families are retirees, don't even think about it.
Ukraine may have a better economic future if they integrate with Russia, but there's probably too much bad history between them to attempt it.
Here's a joke that describes the Ukrainian mentality:
Mikola and Volodomir were brothers in the Ukraine in the 1930s. When the state collectivized all the farms, Volodomir gave his up to the sovkhoz, while Mikola stayed a kulak and wouldn't give in. When the Germans came in 1941, Mikola became a politsai and turned in commies, while Volodomir became a partisan and fought the Nazis. After the war, Mikola was sent to Siberia and Volodomir went back to the collective farm.Years later, Volodomir is an old man sweeping up in a factory, while Mikola is the director. One day when they meet in the hall, Volodomir asks his brother: "How is this possible? Why am I sweeping floors, while you're head of the factory?"
Mikola nods and answers: "It's simple. I have a brother who is a war hero communist partisan, and you have one who sat in Siberia as a traitor-kulak."