More than UAH 1.5 billion in losses: 28 officials involved in embezzlement of funds allocated for defense exposed
Kyiv • UNN
Law enforcers exposed a large-scale scheme of embezzlement of budget funds for defense needs. 28 people are suspected of involvement in the crimes, the total amount of losses is over UAH 1.5 billion.
Law enforcement officers of Ukraine, together with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense and the Armed Forces , conducted a special operation to expose the organizers and participants in criminal schemes to embezzle budget funds allocated for the needs of Ukraine's defense. This was stated by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, UNN reports.
Details
The agency emphasizes that the total amount of losses to the state is more than UAH 1.5 billion.
According to the investigation, employees of the Ministry of Defense, military units, TCCs and JVs, regional military administrations and city councils, as well as directors of enterprises in many regions of Ukraine were involved in the embezzlement.
As a result of the investigation, 28 people were served suspicion notices, including 9 members of organized criminal groups.
The suspects include the head of one of the departments of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the head of the TCC and JV in Donetsk region, more than 7 employees of military units in Donetsk, Odesa, Dnipro, Kyiv and Cherkasy regions, 5 employees of city councils in Poltava and Dnipro regions, and representatives of commercial structures.
The suspects are charged with embezzlement and misappropriation of budget funds during the procurement of goods at inflated prices and overstatement of the cost of work, improper performance of duties, negligence in the acceptance of low-quality uniforms for the Armed Forces, forgery and use of forged documents.
One of the suspects, the head of the Main Department of the Ministry of Defense, is charged with obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations. Knowing about the state contract, he entered into an additional agreement and unjustifiably transferred state funds to the company
Law enforcement also conducted more than 65 searches in institutions and organizations throughout Ukraine (Western, Central, Southern and Eastern regions).
The PGO noted that this is the second large-scale law enforcement operation to expose the organizers and participants of criminal schemes to embezzle budget funds allocated for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Recall
The BES detectives found EUR 4.7 million in unaccounted cash from an accountant of a company supplying products to the Ministry of Defense as part of a criminal investigation into tax evasion.
