Ukraine uncovers main corruption scheme in drone procurement

Ukraine’s anti-corruption companies have arrested a lawmaker and former officers over an alleged defence procurement kickback scheme, simply days after parliament restored the independence of key anti-graft our bodies.

Kyiv’s Nationwide Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Workplace (SAPO) have unveiled a scheme involving inflated contracts for army drones and signal-jamming programs. 

In keeping with media studies, kickbacks had been reportedly as much as 30% of contract prices, involving a corruption community related to a sitting lawmaker, two native officers, and a number of other Nationwide Guard personnel. 

4 arrests have been made up to now, together with MP Oleksii Kuznetsov, a member of Zelenskyy’s Servant of the Individuals social gathering. Different uncovered officers embrace Serhii Haidai (former Luhansk governor) and Andrii Yurchenko (head of Luhansk Oblast’s Rubizhne district), Ukrainska Pravda reported, citing legislation enforcement sources. 

The bribery scheme allegedly diverted funds meant for the procurement of drones and digital warfare tools, NABU stated. 

The arrests come at a politically delicate second. Simply days earlier, parliament reversed a controversial reform that had positioned NABU and SAPO underneath the management of the prosecutor common – a publish appointed by the president.

The transfer had sparked Ukraine’s largest protests for the reason that begin of Russia’s invasion and drew swift criticism from EU leaders. The independence of anti-corruption establishments is a key requirement for EU accession candidate standing, which Kyiv was granted in June 2022.

After the arrests, Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram that he was “grateful to the anti-corruption our bodies for his or her work,” including that the brand new legislation ensures they’ll “work independently” with “all of the alternatives for an actual struggle towards corruption.”

(cs)