A contract to buy the grenades at above market price had been terminated by the Ministry of Defence’s newly established procurement department, and a new agreement had been entered into to buy at a much lower price and without middlemen being involved.
But a high-ranking official is said to have extended the previous contract, and a total of almost 1.5 billion Ukrainian hryvnia, around NOK 420 million, is said to have been deposited into accounts belonging to the companies that acted as intermediaries.
The employee is the main suspect in the case and was dismissed. An investigation has been launched against him, and attempts are being made to get the money back.
The scheme was discovered last week, and after a review the illegal activity has been confirmed, says a statement from the Ministry of Defence. Searches have been carried out in the Ministry’s premises and elsewhere.
Corruption remains a problem in Ukraine, more than 30 years after the fall of the Soviet Union. The spotlight has been directed at it in connection with Ukraine’s application for EU membership and the ongoing war. There have been several corruption scandals in the defence, including in connection with the purchase of weapons and war material.
2023-12-22 22:38:41
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