Published January 08,2024
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Multiple former officers of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry on Monday have been accused of embezzling 948 million Ukrainian hryvnia ($24.7 million) by the acquisition of low-quality bulletproof vests.
A press release by the Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s workplace stated the officers have been charged with “embezzlement of property and obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations.”
Local stories urged the suspects included Vyacheslav Shapovalov, former deputy protection minister, and Bohdan Khmelnytskyi, the pinnacle of the ministry’s state procurement division.
“According to the investigation, during the period of martial law, the suspects purchased 50,000 bulletproof vests for the needs of the Armed Forces, which, due to their quality and characteristics, did not meet the established requirements and could not be used in the army,” the assertion added.
It stated that protecting gear was bought from a non-resident firm, whose helpful homeowners are Russian residents, including that two of the suspects are in custody whereas a search was underway for the third.
Plenty of Ukrainian officers have been both dismissed or resigned in January 2023 as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy started a broad anti-corruption drive.
A crackdown on corruption is essential if the nation is to advance its utility to hitch the 27-member European Union, which opened membership talks with Kyiv final month.
Critics say Ukraine has lengthy suffered endemic corruption, however Russia’s “special military operation” is alleged to have overshadowed the federal government’s efforts to stamp out graft.
Source: www.anews.com.tr