Corruption Arrest Over Drones Acquisition in Ukraine
Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies have uncovered a major bribery scheme involving inflated prices in the procurement of drones and other military equipment for frontline defense. This scheme, which has drawn international attention, involved officials including a Member of Parliament, regional governors, city and district military administration heads, National Guard personnel, and company directors supplying drones.
The suspects received kickbacks of up to 30% of contract values by overcharging for equipment necessary for Ukraine's defense, such as unmanned aerial vehicles and electronic warfare systems. So far, six individuals have been arrested, including Oleksiy Kusnezov (also spelled Oleksii Kuznetsov), an MP from President Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party.
The National Guard members implicated were removed from their positions. The investigations are ongoing, and they have been prompted by the critical nature of these military procurements during the conflict with Russia.
The European Union (EU) has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine implement reforms in its bid to join the bloc. After thousands of protests and massive criticism from the EU, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a new law restoring the independence of the anti-corruption bodies passed in parliament. Zelenskyy has stated that anti-corruption fighters must be independent and that there must be zero tolerance for corruption. He called for independent teamwork to expose bribery.
This is not the first time Ukraine has seen corruption scandals in the defense industry. In the past, Western aid meant to fight the Russian invasion has been known to disappear in Ukraine. Ukraine ranks 105th out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, and it remains one of the most corrupt countries in the world.
The allegations also target public servants at the local level and members of the National Guard. Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced that the uniformed personnel have also been suspended from duty. Kusnezov's faction membership has been suspended pending investigations. Zelenskyy added that a law passed on Thursday gives anti-corruption fighters every chance to work independently.
Anti-corruption fighters also published photos of cash bundles as part of the investigations. The contracts for the purchase of these drones were reportedly signed at significantly inflated prices, to the detriment of the Ukrainian state budget.
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-arrests-mp-amid-probe-into-defence-procurement-bribery-2021-08-11/ [2] https://www.kyivindependent.com/ukraine-politics/ukraines-president-volodymyr-zelenskyy-says-anti-corruption-fighters-must-be-independent-51432796.html [3] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/ukraine-arrests-mp-amid-probe-into-defence-procurement-bribery-2021-08-11/ [4] https://www.kyivindependent.com/ukraine-politics/ukraine-sees-corruption-scandals-in-defense-industry-50796322.html
- This defense procurement bribery scheme in Ukraine, uncovering corruption within anti-corruption agencies, military officials, and company directors, has escalated into a major general-news story, generating international concern and scrutiny.
- Despite Zelenskyy's previous efforts to address corruption, including passing laws to secure the independence of anti-corruption bodies, this recent crime-and-justice affair has put Ukraine's fight against corruption under renewed European Union (EU) scrutiny.
