Currently, Ukraine is home to several key political and economic factions. Apart from the Rovno gang, which controls the northwest and is backed by the Westeros system, and the Petrovsk faction, which holds power in Kyiv, the other major player is the Donetsk faction, based in the industrial heartland of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine.
According to Simon's sources, an assassination attempt on Ukrainian Prime Minister Pavlo Lazarenko was ordered by the head of the Donetsk faction, Yevhen Shcherban.
The motivation, unsurprisingly, was profit.
Unlike the mainly agricultural western Ukraine, eastern Ukraine contains most of the country's energy assets, especially Donetsk, where ninety percent of Ukraine's coal resources are located.
When Lazarenko was the energy minister a couple of years ago, he attempted to encroach on Donetsk's territory. Now, as Ukraine's prime minister, his notorious greed has only grown. Together with his associate Yulia Tymoshenko, he has been attempting to carve out a share of Donetsk's steel and coal industries, which led to fierce pushback from the Donetsk faction.
Just yesterday, on July 18, Lazarenko survived a car bomb attack on his way to the airport.
As someone observing from afar, Simon already knew how the story would continue.
After all, even a small nation like Ukraine having its second-highest official targeted in an assassination attempt would inevitably draw international attention.
Historically, this incident led to a bloody reprisal later that year, with Lazarenko's faction orchestrating an attack that left Yevhen Shcherban and his wife dead in a hail of bullets from professional killers.
This was the brutal reality across the former Soviet territories.
Not only were the new commercial oligarchs rising during this period far from clean, but even those at mid-levels of society often resorted to violence over control of a single business, property, or even a department store. Many major commercial locations in Soviet cities employed security guards openly carrying AK-47s to deter potential robberies or gang-related violence. Whether these guards were indeed security or gang members was often unclear.
It was a wild age, with rules almost completely absent.
Inside an exclusive, private club in northern Rivne, Simon held a glass of red wine while standing before a wall where a map of Ukraine had been deliberately displayed. Beside him were Sergey Komarov, head of Oldek Company; Klim Derevyanko, president of UFMS; Andrei Smirnov, governor of Rivne Oblast; and Alexander Lyudayev, head of Rivne Media.
Taking a sip of wine, Simon gestured vaguely over the map to the location of Rivne and said, "I know you're becoming increasingly unsatisfied with limiting your reach to Rivne Oblast and are eager to expand. However, as you've seen, this won't be easy. The Petrovsk faction holds the nation's political power, and the Donetsk faction inherited much of the Soviet industrial legacy. In comparison, what do you have?"
When Simon saw Derevyanko raising his brows with a slight smile, he added, "Yes, you have me."
Everyone chuckled.
After a pause, Simon shook his head, saying, "But I'll pour some cold water on this excitement—I have no interest in fighting tooth and nail over the assets you all value so highly. If I wanted to invest my time and resources, I could find hundreds of projects elsewhere in the world with far better returns."
Thinking of recent reports on Simon's personal net worth reaching $1.3 trillion, everyone in the room fell silent.
They understood that Simon's only real interest in Rivne Oblast was its military potential, specifically through the Ukrainian Frontline Military Services (UFMS). This private armed force, active since the Rwandan War two years ago, was the real reason a billionaire like Simon would set foot in this neglected region of northwest Ukraine.
Without him, as Simon had just said, he wouldn't even give this troubled part of Ukraine a second glance.
And these people.
It was a fact that Simon Westeros had little interest in them. However, another fact was that their greatest strength was this very man standing in the center of the group. Without him, these individuals would likely be minor businessmen restricted to small-time ventures, former soldiers without a clear direction, or low-level politicians struggling to stay afloat in the rough waters of politics.
Yet now, they commanded the Rovno faction, a power that no faction in Ukraine could ignore.
Even if their political influence couldn't match the Petrovsk faction and their economic power fell short of the Donetsk faction, with the Westeros system as their towering support, the quietly growing Rovno faction held the potential to someday surpass the others.
In the hall, after pouring cold water on their ambitions, Simon took another sip of wine. Looking at the map of Ukraine, he suddenly asked, "Do you know why I have over a trillion dollars in wealth?"
The group exchanged looks.
Though each might have a vague idea, none dared to speak up immediately.
Without receiving an answer, Simon continued, "Because I'm good at going down roads others haven't traveled, exploring industries others have ignored. The internet is the prime example. The term 'Internet' existed as early as the 1970s, but it wasn't until twenty years later that it exploded. To put it simply, the Westeros system spearheaded this boom. Cisco, AOL, Egret—three companies forming an entire industry chain as providers of equipment, services, and content. Combined, they're now valued at over a trillion dollars. By comparison, Ukraine's entire economy is worth only about $200 billion."
Glancing around at the captivated expressions of those around him, Simon smiled and continued, "I'm not boasting. I'm pointing out a path. The assets left over from the Soviet era and this country's other resources may seem tempting, but seizing them comes at a high cost, even at the risk of your lives. If you focus on such things, you'll find yourselves mired in endless conflicts, hindering your progress. So, let me ask again—aside from those assets everyone's scrambling for, what other valuable resources are there in Ukraine that Lazarenko and others have overlooked?"
This time, Sergey Komarov was quick to respond. "Simon, I remember you once mentioned… the population."
Simon snapped his fingers. "Exactly. Ukraine's population—over fifty million people—is an undervalued treasure, and one you can utilize by taking a unique approach, just as I did."
Turning to the gray areas on the map around Ukraine, Simon said, "First, let's look at the big picture. On April 15, 1994, the World Trade Organization was established, marking a major step toward economic globalization. One outcome of globalization is that capital flows naturally toward lower-cost regions—such as China, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe's workforce may be as affordable as Asia's, but it lacks the competitiveness. And you all know why."
Everyone chuckled knowingly.
China had been open for almost two decades, and Southeast Asia had been supported by Western countries to contain China's growth, so it had a solid industrial base. Eastern Europe, by contrast, was still in chaos. War-torn countries like Yugoslavia, and even Ukraine and Russia, had abysmal environments for foreign investment.
Investment conditions were simply terrible.
Only an entity like the Westeros system could successfully operate here. Regular businesses attempting to invest would likely be worn down by layers of bureaucrats and gangsters, assuming they even made it out alive.
That afternoon, before the party, Simon had read a local newspaper. Aside from extensive coverage of Lazarenko's assassination attempt, one story caught his eye: three years ago, a German businessman had opened a flour mill in Kyiv. Soon after, a local gang attempted to extort thirty percent of his business, which he refused. Last year, he was shot dead on the street.
The article claimed the police had solved the case and arrested those responsible, but the message to foreign investors was clear—Ukraine was no place for business.
Reflecting on this, Simon continued, "Regardless of how other regions in Ukraine are run, Rivne Oblast is different. Since we have full control, we should leverage it. Geographically, Ukraine has a prime position, and in terms of raw materials, as the breadbasket of Europe, no other country can compete. And for labor—if Rivne provides enough opportunities, people will naturally gather here. With the rapid pace of globalization, using Ukraine's population advantage, we could turn Rivne into a European manufacturing hub, producing everything from clothing to electronics, furniture to food."
Giving everyone time to absorb this, Simon took another sip of wine and continued, "Furthermore, once this plan is in motion, it'll bring another result—public support. Unlike the Petrovsk or Donetsk factions, who only care about their own gains, Rivne would create jobs and improve lives. When that happens, who do you think the public will back? In ten years, if successful, this country could be yours."
Though Simon wasn't generally verbose, he had a knack for inspiring others. His ambitious vision for Rivne stirred everyone in the room.
In reality, this European factory plan was a mere hypothetical to fuel discussion.
If Simon's goal was profit, he wouldn't bother with Ukraine's turmoil when better investments lay elsewhere.
Meanwhile, his initial idea for a European factory concept had encompassed all of Ukraine, only to be scaled down to Rivne due to local challenges.
Over the past two years, apart from his core focus on UFMS, Simon had subtly laid the groundwork for this vision.
Now, with Rivne under the full control of the Westeros system, stable social order, and favorable business conditions, the ongoing power struggles in Kyiv offered an ideal opportunity for the Rovno faction to expand.
Additionally,
the economic crisis looming in Southeast Asia would slow Western investment flows there, while exacerbated global conditions would drive industries toward low-cost regions, giving Simon's European factory concept ideal conditions for success.
Execution, however, would be challenging.
The world is never short of grand plans, but few succeed. Perfect execution is rare.
Thus, it remained to be seen how far the Rovno faction, under Simon's guidance, would go.
Success would bring celebration.
Failure wouldn't matter.
Due to extensive discussions on the European factory plan, Simon didn't leave the club until close to midnight.
Instead of heading to the villa in the southern part of the city, he returned to the estate where the women had eagerly awaited his arrival.
But with the girls traveling in Atlanta for the Olympics, he had allowed them to go without hesitation, leaving them unaware he'd be in Ukraine.
As Simon arrived, only a handful of women, including Eve and Lyudmila Bessonova, were still awake, awaiting his return.
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