Almost 1.5 billion hryvnias, which were illegally taken abroad during the purchase of artillery shells for the army, were returned to the state budget of Ukraine.
This was reported by the press service of the Security Service of Ukraine.
An attempt to embezzle funds was discovered in December 2023. Then, according to the investigation, one of the organizers of the scheme was detained — the head of one of the main departments of the Ministry of Defense, who tried to appropriate the money allocated under the state contract for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The SBU claims that in December 2022, the suspect organized the transfer of almost 1.5 billion hryvnias from the balance sheet of the Ministry of Defense to the foreign accounts of an affiliated intermediary firm for the purchase of artillery shells. This amount was 30% higher than the cost of another, alternative contract, which was concluded by the then newly created Defense Procurement Agency.
The official was suspected of obstructing the legal activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations, perpetrated by a prior conspiracy of persons. An investigation is ongoing to establish all the circumstances of the crime and bring the perpetrators to justice — the perpetrators face up to 15 years in prison.