Unfit missile systems: Former defense official suspected of embezzling UAH 90M

This information was published on the Telegram channel of Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko, Ukrinform reports.

According to the statement, the Prosecutor General's Office is overseeing a pre-trial investigation into the supply of anti-tank missile systems to the Ministry of Defense that were unfit for use. The total value of the unusable equipment exceeded UAH 90 million — the same amount as the estimated damage to the state. The case is being investigated by the Main Investigative Directorate of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU).

The investigation has established the involvement of a former head of a Defense Ministry department, along with two former executives of the defense enterprise.

The SBU investigators have officially notified the suspects of criminal charges under Part 2 of Article 114-1 (obstruction of lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations during a special period), Part 5 of Article 191 (misappropriation or embezzlement of property), and Part 2 of Article 366 (official forgery) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Earlier, prosecutors from the Prosecutor General's Office and SBU investigators also uncovered a separate procurement scheme involving rifles, which resulted in over UAH 33 million in losses to the state.

Photo: RFE/RL