Official in the Ministry of Defense alleged to have embezzled millions
Ukrainian investigators are celebrating a success in the fight against corruption. A high-ranking official in the Ministry of Defense is alleged to have siphoned off 36 million euros, money that was intended for the purchase of ammunition. The man is now in custody.
In Ukraine, a high-ranking employee of the Ministry of Defense has been arrested on suspicion of corruption. The official is accused of embezzling 36 million euros for the purchase of urgently needed artillery shells in the war against Russia, the Ministry of Defense and the SBU domestic intelligence service announced.
The public prosecutor's office did not initially comment on the identity of the man, but stated: "The director of one of the most important departments of the Ministry of Defense was taken into custody." The man had developed a system with which he bought artillery shells at inflated prices. This was confirmed by documents found in the suspect's apartment.
In recent months, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has been rocked by several corruption scandals. In August, then Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov denied allegations that uniforms had been purchased at inflated prices. Resnikov had been dismissed by President Volodymyr Zelensky at the beginning of September in light of the corruption allegations .
Selensky had already dismissed all heads of the regional offices responsible for recruitment at the beginning of August. He denounced a system that had enabled conscripts to be smuggled out of the country. The Ministry of Defense in Kiev had previously come under fire for a food procurement scandal. However, the allegations of corruption never directly concerned military and financial support from the West.
The leadership in Kiev is endeavoring to take more consistent action against corruption and bribery in the country - also with a view to its aspiration to join the EU. One of the conditions for accession is the fight against corruption. Ukraine is currently ranked 116th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
The attack on Ukraine's military capabilities has been exacerbated by the alleged corruption, as a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Defense is accused of embezzling 36 million euros intended for purchasing ammunition. The arrest of this individual is a significant step in Ukraine's efforts to combat corruption and strengthen its case for EU accession.
Source: www.ntv.de
