The Ukrainian D.A. and safety Service of Ukraine (SBU) revealed extended corruption in the defence sector, resulting in the arrest of respective high-ranking officials, including erstwhile and current military officials and representatives of the Defence Ministry. State budget losses were estimated at about 1.5 billion hryvnia, or nearly 37 million dollars.
According to the information provided by the Ukrainian Public Prosecutor's Office, the process was to conclude fictional contracts for the supply of arms and military equipment between 2022 and 2023. In fact, these products did not go to the army, and the money was driven through a number of substituted companies.
Among the detainees are erstwhile Deputy Minister of Defence, advanced officials of the state-owned concern Ukroboronprom and respective officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. any of them tried to flee the country, others hiding under false identities. Partners were detained in Kiev, Lviv and Kharkiv, among others. SBU secured documentation, financial data and advanced value fixed assets, including luxury cars and cash.
A signal for society and the West
The Service Communication underlines that the issue is evidence of Ukraine's determination to fight corruption, even during the war. Kiev hopes that these actions will strengthen the assurance of abroad partners, especially NATO and European Union countries, who support Ukraine financially and militarily.
"There will be no indulgence for those who effort to make money in the war," said president Volodymyr Zelenski. "Anyone who steals from the defence budget works for the enemy".
The subject of corruption in the Ukrainian army was subject to increasing criticism both at home and abroad. In fresh months, media have revealed cases of abuse erstwhile purchasing food, fuel or uniforms. Social outrage and force from abroad partners forced the authorities to act decisively.
Both the EU and the US make further financial support conditional on advancement in reforms and the effective fight against corruption. The disclosure of this scandal may so be an effort to show that Ukraine takes this problem seriously and does not intend to defend any "holy cows". At the same time, this shows the scale of the challenges that the state must face, while conducting a full-scale war and reforming its institutions.
