Officials at the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense and managers at a weapons supplier are said to have been involved in a massive procurement fraud. According to the SBU security service, mortars worth $40 million were involved.
The Ukrainian security service SBU discovered a corruption scheme in the purchase of weapons by the Ukrainian military worth about 40 million dollars.
“According to the investigation, former and current senior officials of the Ministry of Defense and heads of subsidiaries are involved in the embezzlement,” the SBU said. An investigation “exposed Defense Ministry officials and managers at arms supplier Lviv Arsenal.”
“Suspicion reports” against five people
The embezzlement involved the purchase of 100,000 mortars for the military, the statement said. According to the SBU, a contract with the Lviv Arsenal to purchase the grenades was concluded in August 2022, six months after the start of the war. Payment was made in advance, with some resources being transferred abroad.
However, according to the statement, the weapons were never delivered. “Notices of suspicion” – the first phase of a Ukrainian court case – were issued against five people at both the ministry and the arms supplier. A suspect was arrested while trying to cross the border into Ukraine.
Massive procurement fraud was also confirmed by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Corruption within the military is a particularly sensitive issue in Ukraine as the country seeks to maintain public morale and also seeks to join the EU.