Ukrainian Defense Ministry Official Arrested for Embezzlement

Ukrainian Defense Ministry Official Arrested for Embezzlement

VoM News Desk | December 24, 2023 | 12:29 PM IST | Breaking News, Crime, Ukraine, World | Follow on Google News

Ukrainian Defense Ministry Official Arrested for Embezzlement

Ukrainian Defense Ministry Official Arrested for Embezzlement

A high-ranking official within the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has been apprehended on charges of embezzling USD 40 million (1.5 billion Ukrainian hryvnia) related to a contract for artillery shells, according to the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU).

The SBU alleged that the official, in December of the previous year, entered into an agreement with a specialized export company for the procurement of a substantial batch of artillery shells.

A more advantageous contract for the supply of these shells, excluding intermediaries, was later signed with the same manufacturer, resulting in a reduction of delivery time and costs.

The SBU claimed that the defense official extended the original, costlier contract, resulting in the transfer of funds amounting to USD 40 million to the accounts of a connected foreign intermediary firm.

The SBU claimed that it is in possession of documents substantiating these illicit activities, with the accused facing a potential prison sentence of up to 15 years if proven guilty.

The contract involved payment without corresponding deliveries, and legal experts are exploring avenues to terminate the contract and reclaim the embezzled funds1. In September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov, citing the necessity for ‘new approaches’ amid numerous corruption scandals involving Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence.

 The US had been urging Ukraine to intensify efforts to combat governmental corruption, with specific categories of US economic aid contingent on Ukraine’s progress in reforming its institutions. 

Addressing concerns about corruption, President Zelenskyy traveled to Washington, DC, to meet with US Senators.

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