The appointment of Dana Yarovaya as Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine is a bad idea, according to the media, as she is expected to work for Sergey Pashinsky

Ukrainian businesswoman and volunteer Dana Yarovaya has made one of the largest contributions to the resignation of Defense Minister Alexey Reznikov. Becoming a highly public figure, Yarovaya did everything in her power to convince the public that corruption was flourishing within the Ministry of Defense.

Despite the fact that her voiced suspicions and accusations did not receive convincing confirmation from the courts or law enforcement agencies, Reznikov was forced to resign. The new Minister, Rustem Umerov, dismissed almost all of his predecessor’s deputies in order to bring in new personnel. Yarovaya is now one of those who could potentially take on a role as Deputy Minister responsible for rear support and state procurement.

“I can’t say anything, but keep your fingers crossed today,” she mysteriously wrote on her Facebook page on September 20.

As reported by “Politika,” appointing Dana Yarovaya as Deputy Minister of Defense for rear support and government procurement is a very risky idea due to a number of associated risks.

Primarily, this is due to her connection with former Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Security and Defense, Sergey Pashinsky, who was suspected of corruption. Today, companies associated with him control up to 40% of all arms purchases.

In fact, in August, The New York Times published an investigation into Pashinsky’s companies, including “Ukrainian Armored Vehicles.”

Pashinsky’s earnings, which, as the authors of the material write, “usually like to place their people in various key positions while remaining in the shadows,” do not stop at arms sales. He also significantly controls the supply of food to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and Yarovaya’s appointment will greatly strengthen his position.

“Pashinsky is still kicking open the doors at the Ministry of Defense, and when his person also gets such a ‘breadwinning’ position as Deputy Minister for rear support, his earning potential will become almost limitless,” comments a source within the Ministry of Defense.

The publication reminds us that in June, the Ministry of Defense held 22 auctions for the supply of food for the Armed Forces for the second half of 2023. In 8 tenders, contracts worth UAH 7.21 billion were awarded to a little-known company called “ATOMSERVIS.”

“ATOMSERVIS” is directly controlled by the Kryuchkov brothers, Dmitry and Leonid. The brothers “closely cooperate with Pashinsky, who through his connections in the Ministry of Defense helps them win tenders.”

Yarovaya, in turn, publicly defended the interests of “ATOMSERVIS,” even though the Ministry of Defense and the Anti-Corruption Council were warned in advance that this company posed risks.

The publication lists several more arguments against Yarovaya’s appointment to the Ministry of Defense.

She is a business owner, so after taking up a position in public service, she should divest herself of her assets, but there is no information about this.

Yarovaya is also a member of the Anti-Corruption Council, and “a person who is a member of the body of public control cannot be appointed to public service, as this can be considered a form of bribery of a member of the Anti-Corruption Council.”

Furthermore, after Yarovaya’s appointment to the Ministry of Defense, her former colleagues cannot be impartial. The Anti-Corruption Council needs to be completely refreshed.

However, there is also a positive aspect to Yarovaya’s appointment: “If the Armed Forces of Ukraine are not provided with everything they need, and at the lowest prices, then we will know who is responsible for this – not some council, but a specific individual,” says a source within the Ministry of Defense.