Chamber of Commerce and Industry official and her son demanded EUR 100,000 in bribe from combat drone manufacturer - SSU

The Main Department of Internal Security of the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and the Prosecutor General's Office have exposed a criminal scheme in the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine (CCIU).

The SSU informed Ukrainian News Agency about this.

As a result of comprehensive measures, a legal advisor and her son were detained, who demanded EUR 100,000 in bribe from a manufacturer of Ukrainian unmanned systems.

The corruption was exposed thanks to the systematic work of the Security Service to prevent criminal schemes in the field of state orders for the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

As the investigation found out, the defendants demanded a bribe from a representative of a defense company for the preparation of expert opinions in order to avoid penalties.

According to the case materials, in June 2026, a fire broke out in the contractor's warehouses due to an air attack by the russians.

An extraordinary event at the facility jeopardized the timely fulfillment of a defense order for the production and delivery of combat drones.

To confirm the extraordinary situation and avoid penalties, the company applied to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ukraine for an appropriate opinion.

However, the legal advisor of the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry artificially delayed the consideration of the application. She demanded money from the manufacturing company for the preparation of a positive opinion, which was supposed to confirm the impossibility of timely fulfillment of the contract.

The official involved her son in the illegal activity as an intermediary for meetings with contractors and the transfer of a bribe. Law enforcement officers gradually documented the crimes of the defendants and detained the intermediary red-handed while receiving the second part of the illegal benefit in the amount of EUR 50,000.

During searches of the defendants' places of work and residence, evidence of illegal actions was seized.

The CCIU official and her son were informed of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 27, Part 3 of Article 368-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (bribery of an official of a legal entity under private law, regardless of its organizational and legal form).

They were given a preventive measure in the form of detention. An investigation is underway to bring to justice all persons involved in the deal during the execution of a defense order.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, the SSU detained an "agent of influence" whom the russian special services planned to promote to a top position in Ukrainian state institutions.