Corruption in defense-industry sector caused over 1 billion UAH losses, Artem Sytnyk
The investigation in the defense sector is one of the main priorities in the work of the Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). According to preliminary estimates, exposed corruption in defense sphere caused 1 billion UAH damage. The NABU Director Artem Sytnyk at the briefing on March 7, 2019, emphasized this.
“Corruption schemes in the defense-industry sector are not rare. As we see, the management of enterprises is involved. Unfortunately, the investigation of these crimes is accompanied by pressure: criminal cases are opened as of the Detectives and the executives of the National Bureau,” he said.
Artem Sytnyk informed that activity of more than 10 state defense enterprises is under the NABU investigation. Most of these crimes were committed between 2014 and 2017. These facts of corruption are being investigating within more than 25 criminal proceedings.
In general, over three years of the NABU investigations, about 30 people were prosecuted for corruption in the defense-industry sector, as of 6 of them — cases are already in court. More than 15 people soon will get the status of the accused: the investigations are completed; the defense was granted with an access to the case materials. There are many high-level officials among the exposed and prosecuted persons.
For example, the NABU Detectives exposed the management of the State Enterprise (SE) “Lviv Armor Vehicle Factory” (“LAVF”) and the Head of the Armored Command Center of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 14.5 million UAH public funds embezzlement while purchasing of engines for the SE “LAVF”. This case is already in court.
The involvement of the Deputy Minister of Defense, officials of the Ministry of Defense in about 60 million UAH public funds embezzlement while purchasing of fuel for the needs of the Ministry of Defense was established. The investigation in this criminal proceeding is completed. The defense was granted with access to the materials of the investigation, and soon the case will be sent to court.
The NABU Detectives also completed investigation as of the fact of 13 million UAH public funds embezzlement while purchasing of fuel tanks for helicopters for the needs of the State Enterprise (SE) Konotop Aircraft Repair Plant “Aviakon” (“Aviakon”) at the inflated prices. Among the suspects, there are ex-Director and ex-Deputy Director of the “Aviakon”.
The NABU Director reminded that recently the Detectives detained current and former Directors of the State Enterprise “SpetsTechnoExport” and three other ex-officials on suspicion of embezzlement of 2.225 million USD (55.5 million UAH).
He also added that the NABU registered two criminal proceedings based on the journalists’ investigation about corruption at the “Ukroboronprom” enterprises.
“The Detectives started to investigate these facts from the very beginning because we didn’t have information that journalists had published”, Artem Sytnyk said.
The NABU Director informed that within investigation of one of these proceedings the Detectives performed more than 20 searches at the residences of former First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council and other persons.
Photo credit: Ukraine crisis media center