General Gavryliuk Resigns After Defense Minister Umerov Accuses Him of Stealing Weapons Funds.

Ivan Gavryliuk Steps Down

According to Espreso.tv: Lieutenant General Ivan Gavryliuk has announced his resignation during a meeting of the Temporary Investigative Commission (TIC) looking into defense-sector violations. This move follows public allegations by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, who accused Gavryliuk of embezzling money meant for weapons procurement. According to reports, the general made the decision to resign in April 2025.

The TIC session was chaired by Oleksiy Honcharenko. During the proceedings, Umerov stated that rumors had been circulating claiming Gavryliuk, along with Colonel Busyl—head of the Central Directorate of Defense Resources of the General Staff—had been stealing funds allocated for arms purchases. In response, Gavryliuk countered that Umerov had rarely attended government meetings, suggesting the minister lacked a full understanding of the situation.

Background of Ivan Gavryliuk

Born in April 1971 in the village of Ivanopil, Zhytomyr region, Ivan Gavryliuk trained at the Sumy Higher Artillery Command School and later graduated from the National Defense Academy of Ukraine in 2004. His military career in the Armed Forces of Ukraine spanned from 1992 to 2014, followed by a role as deputy head of the organizational planning department from 2014 to 2018.

• From 2018 to 2020, Gavryliuk served as head of the Main Logistics Directorate of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,
• and in 2020, he was discharged into the reserves.
• Following his recall to active duty on February 24, 2022, he served as deputy chief inspector of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine from September 2022 to October 2023,
• before being appointed deputy minister of defense in October 2023.
• In May 2024, Gavryliuk became first deputy minister of defense but was dismissed from that role on April 18, 2025.
• He was reappointed as first deputy minister on July 25, 2025, only to be removed again by the Cabinet of Ministers on May 20, 2026.
• Throughout his career, Gavryliuk also held the position of advisor on defense-industrial complex matters, a role he assumed on June 5, 2026.

Gavryliuk’s resignation marks a significant moment in the investigation into potential financial misconduct within Ukraine’s defense sector. These developments could seriously impact the Ministry of Defense’s reputation and raise further questions about transparency and oversight in military procurement spending. Given the ongoing war in Ukraine, ensuring the army is properly equipped and that budget funds are used effectively has become even more critical.