Discovery of large embezzlement in the Ukrainian army
The Internal Intelligence Service of Ukraine announced the discovery of a major case of corruption and embezzlement in the army in the field of arms procurement. |
According to the report of the international group Tasnim news agency quoting “NTV”, another case of exposing a major corruption of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has shaken. According to intelligence agencies, the officials and managers of an arms supplier have embezzled about 40 million dollars.
According to the media, the internal intelligence service of Ukraine SBU filed a case of corruption in procurement. The weapon was discovered by the Ukrainian army. It is said that the damage is about 40 million dollars. “Based on the investigation, former and current high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and heads of subsidiaries are involved in this embezzlement,” the SBU said. The investigation in this regard informs about the presence of officials of the Ministry of Defense and managers of Lviv Arsenal’s arms supplier. The embezzlement included the purchase of 100,000 mortar rounds for the army, the statement said.
According to the SBU, a contract with an unknown Lviv Arsenal company to buy grenades in August 2022, six months after the start of the war, was concluded. This payment was made in advance and some funds were transferred to another company in the Balkans. However, according to the statement, the weapons were never delivered. The stolen funds have now been seized. “Suspicious reports” were issued against five people in the ministry and this arms supplier. This is the first stage of the Ukrainian court. A suspect in this case was also arrested while trying to cross the Ukrainian border.
This massive procurement fraud has also been confirmed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. Corruption in the military is a particularly sensitive issue in Ukraine as the country seeks to maintain public morale as well as join the European Union. If convicted, those involved in this case may face up to 12 years in prison. The corruption that was discovered in his ministry was dismissed, but he has not been accused of involvement in these cases. Several cases during his tenure hurt the army, including the provision of food to soldiers and the purchase of proper clothing for army forces.
Publisher | Tasnim News |