2023-12-24 00:53:40
2023-12-24 08:53 Compiled by United Daily News Lu Silun/Real-time reporting
The New York Times reported that on the 22nd local time, a senior Ukrainian defense official was suspected of enriching himself and embezzling nearly US$40 million in an arms purchase. He has been dismissed from his post and arrested. If proven true, he may face up to 15 years in prison.
Ukrainian prosecutors said in a statement that in December 2022, the official signed a contract with a manufacturer to purchase artillery shells. Later, the newly established procurement department of the Ministry of Defense signed a new contract with the same manufacturer, which not only reduced the cost by 30%, but also eliminated the need to go through Foreign intermediaries have significantly shortened delivery times. But the official still extended the old contract and transferred nearly $40 million to foreign intermediaries.
The authorities did not release the names of the officials involved and said the ammunition had not yet been delivered and efforts were being made to recover the money.
In September this year, the Ukrainian Defense Minister was dismissed from his post due to involvement in corruption. Since then, the Ukrainian authorities have been working hard to rectify their internal affairs.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has also made combating corruption one of his main wartime goals, not only to ensure that billions of dollars in financial aid to Western allies have not been misappropriated, but also to ensure the effective allocation of resources in the face of ammunition shortages. Recently, the Ukrainian army stated that it would scale down its military operations due to a lack of artillery shells.
This is not the first arms purchase fraud that has occurred in Ukraine during the war. Last year, two defense officials were brought to justice for buying eggs at exorbitant prices.
A senior Ukrainian defense official was suspected of embezzling nearly US$40 million in an arms purchase. He has been removed from his post and arrested. It has been found that he is… Ukraine Russia Russia-Ukraine War Arms Purchase
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