Embezzlement of UAH 37 mln allocated for Shyrokyi Lan military range: indictment sent to court

On April 20, 2021, NABU and SAPO referred an indictment to court regarding five persons involved in the embezzlement of UAH 37 million during construction at the Shyrokyi Lan military range in Mykolayiv Oblast.

The accused include:

• the Head of the Main Quartering Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (within Defense Ministry)*;
• the Head of the Construction, Reconstruction and Capital Repairs Department of the Main Quartering Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU)*;
• the Head of the Technical Supervision Department of the Main Quartering Department of the AFU *;
• company beneficial owner;
• company director.

The actions of the abovementioned persons fall under under Part 5 Article 191, Part 1 Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. Other people involved in the commission of the crime are being established.

According to the investigation, former MOD officials in collusion with representatives of a private company agreed to accept the unfulfilled construction works at the Shyrokyi Lan military range. The Ministry of Defense then transferred UAH 37 million to the company.

On July 30, 2020, five persons were notified of suspicion.

NABU launched an investigation into the abovementioned facts in November 2019 upon receiving the case materials from the State Bureau of Investigations. In November 2020, the probe was completed.

* positions at the time of committing the crime