2021-07-02T17:41:00+03:00 Politics 2023-09-15T06:01:58+03:00

Ukrainian news

Ukrainian news

SBI Served Ex-Defense Ministry Officials With Suspicion Of Purchase Of Low-Quality Military Equipment

SBI Served Ex-Defense Ministry Officials With Suspicion Of Purchase Of Low-Quality Military Equipment

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) served former Defense Ministry officials with suspicion of purchasing low-quality military equipment.

This was announced by the Deputy Head of the Investigation Department of the Main Investigation Department of the SBI, Oleh Hryniak, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

He said that the SBI is carrying out systematic work aimed at identifying and stopping crimes committed by officials of the Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces and other military formations.

In particular, the investigation established multiple facts of supply of low-quality military equipment for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the use of which negatively affects the defense capability of Ukraine and poses a threat to the life and health of the personnel of the Armed Forces.

“We have identified the criminal activities of the former Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, his subordinates from the department of the Ministry of Defense, who acted as accomplices in criminal actions, as well as the head of the board of the Kuznia na Rybalskomu private joint-stock company,” Hryniak said.

He noted that after the annexation of Crimea and the seizure of Ukrainian vessels, in the Armed Forces of Ukraine there was a need to build additional vessels that would serve in the water area of ​​Ukraine, therefore, in 2016, the Armed Forces of Ukraine planned to produce two armored assault boats and one more in the future.

One of the specialized institutions produced design documentation for the formation of the corresponding order.

“Having learned about such plans, the board chairperson of the Kuznia na Rybalskomu private joint-stock company convinced the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine to conclude a state contract with his enterprise. The official of the ministry was precisely aware of the absence of design documentation for the construction of boats at the said enterprise. Despite this, he exceeded his authority and instructed the subordinated to him head of one of the departments of the Ministry of Defense to freely conclude a state contract on the construction of boats with the specified enterprise," he said.

Hryniak noted that representatives of the department freely entered into such a contract and, without unnecessary guarantees and any obstacles, made an advance payment of 80% of the contract amount, and they also extended the terms of the order, changed the terms of the state contract in the interests of Kuznia na Rybalskomu, which made it possible to transfer products to the Ministry of Defense without checks and make full payment for a total amount of more than UAH 443 million.

"So, over the course of five years, two assault landing boats were built and one more is under construction, but they did not meet the operational and technical requirements of the Armed Forces ... Thus, the acceptance of boats for service and their performance of functions for the defense of the water area of ​​the state are impossible," Hryniak added.

Besides, the SBI revealed another fact of abuse of office by the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine and the head of a department subordinated to him.

Hryniak said that they allowed the purchase of sanitary vehicles produced by the Bogdan Motors automobile corporation for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which do not meet the established requirements and cannot be used in the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their intended purpose, which makes it impossible for the medical service of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to effectively fulfill their duties for the transportation of patients and puts threat to the life and health of persons who are transported.

It is indicated that the amount of losses in this episode is more than UAH 32 million.

Hryniak said that only on these two facts the state suffered losses of more than UAH 475 million.

"Today, the investigators of the SBI served the suspicion to officials of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, namely to the Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine, who was in office in 2015-2019, to the directors of the department of the Ministry of Defense, who were in office in 2015-2019. Their actions are qualified under Part 4 of Article 426 with the icon 1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, namely, in the deliberate commission of a military person, under conditions of a special period, of actions that clearly go beyond the limits of the rights and powers granted to them, which entailed grave consequences. The sanction of the article provides for imprisonment for a term from 7 to 10 years," he said.

Also, the board chairperson of the Kuznia na Rybalskomu private joint-stock company, whose actions are qualified under Part 2 of Article 192, Part 4 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 426 of the Criminal Code, was served with suspicion of inciting a military official to abuse his power and official duties by deception, the sanction of the article provides for imprisonment for a term from 7 to 10 years.

The SBI has prepared a petition for the selection of a measure of restraint for the suspects in the form of detention with bail.

The pre-trial investigation continues.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, in January, the Ministry of Defense intended to file a lawsuit against the Kuznia na Rybalskomu plant for the late delivery of a reconnaissance ship.