Purchase of substandard bulletproof vests worth UAH 2 billion: Ukraine and France conduct a joint investigation

The Security Service of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Office of the Prosecutor General, together with French law enforcement officers, conducted a series of searches in Nice as part of an investigation into the legalization of funds linked to the purchase of body armor for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This was reported by the SBU press center, according to UNN.

Details

The investigative actions were carried out as part of the execution of a request for international legal assistance in criminal proceedings concerning the legalization of funds. The money was obtained in 2022 during the purchase of poor-quality personal protective equipment for the Defense Forces of Ukraine.

According to the investigation, the participants in the scheme used nearly two billion hryvnias in budget funds, provided as a 100% advance payment, to purchase 67,000 bulletproof vests for the Ukrainian Defense Forces. However, an independent ballistic examination found that they did not meet the declared protection class. Law enforcement officers are currently verifying the circumstances surrounding the subsequent use of the funds, including the purchase by the suspects of luxury real estate (residential and commercial premises) in France, which was registered in the names of family members

During the searches, documents, mobile phones and other electronic devices were found and seized from the suspects. They were sent for examination.

In addition, the suspects’ real estate and bank accounts in France have been seized. The pretrial investigation is ongoing.

We remind you

Bail in the full amount was posted for Major General of the Security Service of Ukraine Serhii Duka, whom the High Anti-Corruption Court remanded in custody as part of the "Carthage" operation. The amount was 65 million hryvnias.