A $770 million suspicious scheme identified in Ukraine’s arms purchases

Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine has been forced to urgently purchase large amounts of foreign weaponry. However, as reported by the British publication The Financial Times, this process faced significant problems due to corruption and unfulfilled contracts.

According to investigations, over the past three years, Ukraine has failed to implement about 30 prepaid contracts for weapons and ammunition deliveries from various countries. Ukraine paid approximately $770 million in advance payments for these deals, but the weapons either were never delivered at all, or arrived incomplete and of poor quality.

This amount represents a significant burden on Ukraine's defense budget, accounting for roughly 10-12 percent of total military expenditures. Especially in wartime, such losses could pose a serious threat to national security.

Currently, Ukrainian law enforcement agencies are investigating dozens of suspicious contracts. High-ranking officials from the Ministry of Defense, including Toomas Nahkur and Oleksandr Liev, as well as managers from the "Lviv Arsenal" company and foreign intermediaries, have been named in these investigations.

A particular focus of the investigation is a contract involving the purchase of 100,000 mortar shells from Croatia. According to accusations, intermediaries redirected a $12.5 million advance payment towards other, completely unrelated activities.

The accused, however, justify their actions by claiming that they are forced to make daily decisions under intense pressure to ensure the country's survival.

From the editors of Zamin.uz:
Suspicious activities in arms supplies not only cause financial losses but also seriously impact the country's military capabilities. Transparency and accountability are essential in ensuring that every penny is spent appropriately. What are your thoughts on this issue? How transparent should weapons procurement processes be?

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