The first question Russians usually pose when discussing Ukraine's economy is: Why are they so poor? (Почему они такие бедные?) The question is to the point. Ukraine's economy has persistently underperformed quite spectacularly because of pervasive corruption. In 1989, Ukraine's GDP per capita was 10 percent higher than Russia's according to old Soviet statistics. Today, Russia's GDP per capita at current prices and exchange rates is about three times higher. Poland has risen even faster.