SBU exposes businessman who supplied AFU with defective ballistic glasses worth UAH 60 mln
The State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) has repored the exposure, in cooperation with the Prosecutor General's Office and the Minister of Defense of Ukraine, of a large-scale scheme to embezzle budget funds.
"As a result of comprehensive measures, suspicion was reported against the CEO of a Zaporizhia company that supplied the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) with a wholesale batch of defective equipment worth UAH 60 million," the message on the SBU Telegram channel said on Friday.
According to military counterintelligence and SBU investigators, the items in question are 43,000 protective ballistic glasses and goggles-masks for the needs of ground units of the Ukrainian troops.
It is reported that an examination initiated by the Security Service confirmed the unsuitability of the relevant ammunition for use in training and combat conditions.
According to the case materials, the defendant made the delivery on the basis of two contracts that he concluded with a state enterprise of the Ministry of Defense in April 2024. However, instead of high-quality products stipulated by the terms of the signed agreements, the contractor shipped completely defective equipment to customers that did not meet safety requirements.
It is noted that the organizer of the deal received the entire amount of budget funds earmarked for ammunition.
During searches at the person’s workplace, documents with evidence of a criminal scheme and part of the money received from its implementation were found.
SBU investigators informed him of suspicion under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (embezzlement, embezzlement of property or taking possession of it by abuse of official position, committed on an especially large scale). According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the suspect is currently abroad. Measures are being taken to put him on the wanted list.
Currently, the entire batch of defective products has been withdrawn from the logistics warehouses of the Defense Forces and the offices of contractors.
An investigation is underway to identify and hold accountable all persons involved in the deal. The perpetrators face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.