The US reportedly wants to pressure Kiev from now on into a tough long-term defense in order to let the Russians bleed dry. Furthermore, the country's war economy is expected to grow. Meanwhile, military morale is declining and there is corruption in the armed forces.
Although nothing is progressing on the battlefields of southern and eastern Ukraine due to weather conditions, Russian advances fail with heavy losses and drones, rockets and cruise missiles fall deep into Ukraine, the country is being rocked by a new corruption scandal, particularly in the armed forces.
According to reports over the weekend, the SBU national secret service discovered a system of corruption in weapons purchases, which resulted in at least around 37 million euros in damages. Former and current high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Defense and company directors, totaling five people, were involved in the diversion of funds.
Specifically, it concerns the purchase of 100,000 grenade launchers from the Lviv Arsenal company in Lviv. The military and the company closed the contract in 2022, part of the price was paid in advance and part went abroad. However, no grenades have been delivered so far. A suspect was arrested while trying to cross the Ukrainian border abroad.
It was already known before the start of the war that corruption was endemic in Ukraine. However, when such events occur during war and the course of the war may be unfavorable, things become socially difficult. It harms war morale, especially given last year's failed counteroffensive, which failed in front of and in the huge, deeply echeloned Russian defense lines. Such stories of corruption also don't make things easier for Kiev's Western supporters.