Edured 1 billion UAH for ammunition for the Armed Forces during the war: Expired Minister of Defense (Photo) was detained

The former official and his subordinate is accused of stealing budget money for wholesale purchases of bulletproof vests and winter clothing for the military in March 2022. The purchased bulletproof vests and warm winter clothing for the defenders were the lowest quality, they say in the SBU. The SBU staff reported the suspicion of the expirer of the Minister of Defense of Ukraine and one of his subordinates, who illegally appropriated more than UAH 1 billion from the state budget.

This was reported on June 16 by the SBU press service. According to the department, the officials collected a large -scale evidence base, which proves the corruption activity of the former Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine and the former head of the Department of Public Procurement of the Ministry of Defense.

The suspects are involved in the abduction of large amounts of money allocated for the purchase of winter form and bulletproof vests for units of Ukrainian defenders who perform combat missions at the front. It is known that the persons involved in the purchase of almost 3 thousand bulletproof vests with a foreign firm in the amount of more than UAH 130 million. At the same time, more than UAH 100 million from the allocated amount they appropriated themselves.

Experts of merchants who assisted in the SBU investigation found that the market value of purchased uniforms for the Armed Forces was only UAH 25 million. Moreover, it became known that purchased bulletproof vests do not correspond to the stated class required to protect the military. The investigation also found that the defendants of the case purchased a wholesale batch of winter jackets of poor quality for a total amount of about UAH 900 million.

Evidence of illegal activities of officials in the form of documents and other material evidence was found during searches at the place of residence and work of the suspects. In general, the illegal activity of the defendants has harmed the State Budget of Ukraine for a total amount of more than UAH 1 billion.

On the basis of the evidence collected, investigators of the SBU were informed by former officials of suspicion under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: now both those involved are in custody. We will remind, in early January 2023 the SBU detained the deputy chairman of Odessa Ova Oleg Muratov, who was suspected of extorting a bribe of $ 35 thousand.