Prosecution Reveals Corruption in Military Payments: Damages Exceed 34 Million UAH.

Specialized prosecutors in the defense sector have uncovered large-scale corruption schemes during the calculation and payment of financial support to military personnel. The state has suffered damages exceeding 34 million UAH, of which over 25 million UAH are illegal 'combat' payments.

This was reported by

The Office of the Prosecutor General

Corruption Schemes in Military Payments

During a series of checks, law enforcement agencies uncovered abuses during the calculation and payment of guaranteed state financial support to military personnel.

'This category of cases is one of the priorities of the specialized prosecutors, who coordinate the work of law enforcement agencies and carry out procedural guidance of pre-trial investigations in such categories of cases,' emphasized the OGP.

It is noted that only in the last day, in 20 criminal proceedings regarding violations during the calculation and payment of financial support to military personnel, 23 persons have been notified of suspicion, of which seven have already been detained. Among the accused are two deputy commanders of a military unit, a company commander, the chief accountant of the military unit, and others.

'The amount of damage caused to the state in the indicated criminal proceedings is over 34 million UAH, of which more than 25 million UAH are funds illegally calculated and paid as 'combat' payments. In fact, the individuals who received these funds were not in the 'zero' zone,' the message states.

In the Office of the Prosecutor General, they provided an example that under the procedural guidance of the Bilozerka specialized prosecutor's office, a former commander of a military formation was held accountable for failing to ensure proper control over the legality of additional rewards paid to subordinates for participation in repelling armed aggression, as a result of which they were unjustifiably accrued funds totaling over 15 million UAH.

Also, under the procedural guidance of the Lviv specialized prosecutor's office in the defense sector, an organized group was uncovered, which included an official from the financial and economic department of the military unit, as well as officers and sergeants of the structural unit. The suspects unjustifiably accrued financial payments for themselves exceeding 5 million UAH.

These individuals have been notified of suspicion of misappropriation, embezzlement of property, or seizing it through abuse of office. They face imprisonment for 7 to 12 years with confiscation of property.

It should be noted that recently the SBU and NABU uncovered a budget embezzlement scheme in the Ministry of Justice. A former state secretary of the ministry and current top officials are suspected of the crime. The Security Service also uncovered a former official of the Ministry of Defense embezzling the budget.

From the official report dated August 8, it became known that specialized prosecutors in the defense sector uncovered corruption schemes in the payment of financial support to military personnel totaling over 34 million UAH. Part of these funds was illegally paid under the pretext of 'combat' operations, although in reality, the recipients were not in combat zones. Law enforcement suspects 23 individuals of abuse and unlawful payments, including military commanders and accountants. Those responsible for the identified violations face 7 to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property. It was also noted that corruption schemes were identified not only in the defense sector but also in the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defense.