Violations amounting to 240.5 million euros: the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has disclosed the results of an internal audit

Мinister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov has announced the discovery of new corruption violations within the defense department.

Umerov made this announcement on Facebook.

According to him, one of the priorities of the Ministry of Defense team is the “purification of the system from those involved in wrongdoing.” The ministry is currently working in collaboration with law enforcement agencies to eradicate corruption.

“Resistance exists within the system, but we will overcome it,” he noted.

Following the commencement of an internal audit within the Ministry of Defense and the restructuring of the General Inspection, violations totaling over 10 billion (near 240,5 million euro) have been identified in the last 4 months.

“This is what we can openly discuss. There will be more news ahead,” said the Minister of Defense.

Umerov also mentioned that procurement mechanisms within the defense department are being restructured based on NATO standards, ensuring a continuous supply of weapons and logistical assets to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

In December 2023, the Security Service of Ukraine, in collaboration with and with the assistance of the Ministry of Defense, exposed a corruption scheme related to the procurement of ammunition for the Ukrainian Armed Forces worth almost 1.5 billion hryvnias. The head of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, suspected in this case, was remanded in custody without the right to bail until February 19, 2024.

Additionally, charges have been brought against a former deputy defense minister regarding the procurement of rations for the military in 2021. Another individual, a former department head within the ministry, has already received a verdict.

Moreover, law enforcement agencies revealed another corruption episode involving a former deputy defense minister: together with accomplices in 2022, they procured another batch of substandard body armor for Ukrainian military personnel, misappropriating over 948 million budgeted hryvnias.