HACCU Appeals Chamber places Liev under arrest with the possibility of posting UAH 50 million bail

The Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court has imposed a measure of restraint on the former head of the Department of Military-Technical Policy, Development of Arms and Military Equipment of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Oleksandr Liev, in the form of arrest for two months until April 8, 2024, with the possibility of posting UAH 50 million bail. UNN correspondent reports from the courtroom.

"The court panel decided to partially satisfy the appeal. To cancel the decision of the HACC investigating judge and issue a new decision, by which the prosecutor's motion to apply a preventive measure in the form of detention to the suspect Oleksandr Liev is partially granted and the suspect Oleksandr Liev is taken into custody in the courtroom. To determine the validity of the decision on detention for a period of 60 days until April 8, 2024 inclusive. To set bail for the suspect Oleksandr Liev in the amount of UAH 50 million," the presiding judge announced.

If released on bail, Liev will be obliged to wear an electronic bracelet and surrender his passports to travel abroad.

The decision is not subject to appeal.

Liev emphasized that an agreement with Lviv Arsenal was initially signed without financial obligations. This agreement was not registered with the Treasury and no financial obligations were recorded under it until the company provided the Ministry of Defense with all the necessary documents, first of all, an export license from Slovakia. In addition, to ensure that the interests of the state, represented by the Ministry of Defense, were respected, penalties of UAH 13 million were provided for each day of delay under the contract. "This is a practice I introduced in the department," he emphasized.

He emphasized that, according to the practice he introduced, after the counterparty provides the Ministry of Defense with an export license for a specific product, a specific quantity and a specific country from which it will be exported to Ukraine, in the case of the contract with Lviv Arsenal from Slovakia, an additional agreement is signed on financing.

Liev emphasized that the Defense Ministry had received a document on the relevant license issued by Sevotech in Slovakia. This company was supposed to supply ammunition to Ukraine. According to him, the license can be checked on the relevant official website in Slovakia.

Answering the judge's question about whether it was possible not to transfer all the funds on a prepaid basis, Liev said: "We don't have a single contract for the two years of war, not a single one, for the supply of ammunition with a deferred payment. This does not exist in nature. This does not exist in other countries that are at war either.

Recall

In late January, the Security Service of Ukraine announced that it had uncovered a scheme to embezzle public funds during the purchase of ammunition. The case involved officials of the Ministry of Defense and managers of the Lviv Arsenal.

On January 27, the Security Service of Ukraine detained Oleksandr Liev in the case of signing a contract between the Ministry of Defense and Lviv Arsenal. Liev emphasized that he was detained unlawfully. A few days later, on January 30, the High Anti-Corruption Court rejected the prosecution's motion and refused to impose any preventive measure on Liev.