The Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) have eliminated a large-scale scheme for the appropriation of defense funds that operated in two regions of Ukraine. According to the case materials, the defendants embezzled UAH 102 million budget on the production of dynamic protection for tanks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). This is stated in the SSU report.
Thus, it is reported that as a result of comprehensive measures in the Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk Regions, the organizers of the transaction were exposed: the commercial director of the state-owned enterprise, its ex-head and the owner of the contractor company.
The management of the defense plant was exposed in the embezzlement of state funds. Photo: SSU
The investigation showed that in April 2022, the state-owned plant concluded a contract with the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine for the urgent purchase of dynamic protection complexes for domestic tanks.
The equipped armored vehicles were to be immediately put into service and sent from the factory workshops directly to the combat zone on various fronts. However, instead of immediately fulfilling the defense order, the main perpetrator, who was then the head of the manufacturing enterprise, organized the embezzlement of budget funds.
To implement the deal, he involved the commercial director of the plant and the founder of a contracting company, with which he signed a contract for the purchase of components for armor protection at prices three times higher than market prices.
The businessman took the resulting "difference" into the shadows through a network of controlled companies for further distribution among the participants in the criminal scheme.
Professional examinations initiated by the SSU and NABU confirmed the facts of causing losses to the state budget in particularly large amounts.
During searches of the places of work and residence of the defendants, documentation and computer equipment used in illegal activities were discovered.
Based on the collected evidence, the three organizers of the crime were informed of suspicion under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Part 3 of Article 27, Part 5 of Article 191 (embezzlement, embezzlement of property or taking possession of it through abuse of official position, committed by a group of persons in a preliminary conspiracy);
- Part 3 of Article 209 (legalization (laundering) of property obtained by crime);
- Part 1 of Article 366 (official forgery).
Currently, the suspected ex-head of the defense plant is already in custody as part of a previously initiated investigation into the production of defective mortar shells. SSU investigators detained him at the end of April this year.
The issue of a preventive measure for other perpetrators is being resolved.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, a group that posed as military personnel and embezzled over UAH 8 million in humanitarian aid was previously exposed in Zaporizhzhia.
Who we are: About us, Contacts. How we write news and our principles: Editorial code. We did our best. If you found this valuable – please support us.
To request a correction, please send an email.