The Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine on Wednesday, February 1, announced the indictment of a number of officials, including the country’s former deputy defense minister.
“The ex-Deputy Minister of Defense was informed of a suspicion of obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (Armed Forces of Ukraine. – Ed.) and other military formations during a special period. According to the investigation, he lobbied for the conclusion of contracts for the supply of products for the military at inflated prices, the purchase of bulletproof vests and other things for the Armed Forces of poor quality, ”the Office of the Prosecutor General’s Office said in a Telegram channel.
The name of the ex-deputy head of the Ministry of Defense was not given in the statement of the department.
In addition, charges were brought against the former acting. Director of the Department of Public Procurement and Supply of Material Resources of the Ministry of Defense on the fact of embezzlement of funds and obstruction of the lawful activities of the army. It is specified that he organized the purchase of low-quality body armor.
On this day, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced the exposure of major embezzlement schemes worth about $ 1 billion of the largest Ukrainian oil company Ukrnafta and the oil refinery Ukrtatnafta. It is noted that as a result of investigative actions, the top management of Ukrnafta was charged with committing criminal offenses.
Earlier on Wednesday, the SBU and the Economic Security Bureau (BEB) conducted searches at the home of Ukrainian oligarch Igor Kolomoisky in connection with an investigation into fraud in Ukrtatnafta and Ukrnafta.
Prior to that, on November 7, 2022, Oleksiy Danilov, Chairman of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine, announced that the nationalized assets of enterprises, including Ukrnafta and Motor Sich, were transferred to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. It is noted that with the end of martial law, the owners can either return these assets or reimburse their value.
