Yanukovych-era defense ministers suspected of selling hundreds of weapons systems

According to the SBI, its officers have gathered evidence of unlawful actions by the three former Ukrainian Ministers of Defense during Yanukovych’s presidency, which resulted in the reduced combat readiness and effectiveness of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and a significant weakening of the country’s defense capabilities.

The SBI stated that between March 2010 and February 2014, these officials — disregarding the requirements of the Constitution and Ukrainian laws, and despite being aware of systematic threats from the Russian Federation — failed to strengthen the country’s defense potential. Instead, they took actions to dispose of military equipment and weaponry belonging to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

By doing so, they directly contributed to weakening Ukraine's defense and, in effect, assisted a foreign state in conducting subversive activities against Ukraine.

Under orders from these officials, fully operational weapons and military equipment were unjustifiably sold off, including hundreds of tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery systems, dozens of anti-aircraft missile systems, hundreds of tracked and wheeled vehicles, dozens of combat aircraft and helicopters, thousands of missiles, millions of units of small arms and various calibers of ammunition

“All of this weaponry and equipment was critically needed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces at the start of Russia’s armed aggression in 2014 and remains vital today,” the SBI emphasized.

A comprehensive set of procedural actions and military judicial examinations confirmed the unjustified nature of decisions made by each of the former defense ministers, and established a direct causal link between their actions and the deterioration in Ukraine’s military readiness and defense capability.

All three former defense ministers from Yanukovych’s time have now been officially notified that they are suspected of treason (Part 1, Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

If the suspects fail to appear when summoned, the authorities will seek pre-trial detention orders and initiate a search for them.

According to reports, the Ministers of Defense under President Yanukovych were: Admiral Mykhailo Yezhel (March 11, 2010 – February 8, 2012), Dmytro Salamatin (February 8, 2012 – December 24, 2012), Pavlo Lebedev (December 24, 2012 – February 27, 2014).