In Zakarpattia oblast, the SSU Military Counterintelligence jointly with the ESBU have exposed a scheme of large-scale embezzlement of public funds during purchase of personal protective equipment for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

For state budget funds, the organizers of the scheme supplied 350 defective bulletproof vests to a military unit in the region.

During testing, it was found that the purchased products did not meet the declared 4th protection class technical characteristics and were unsafe for use in combat.

In this way, the persons involved disrupted the fulfilment of a defence order for UAH 6 mln (USD 156,000). The entire batch of faulty products was seized and sent to the manufacturer to eliminate the defects.

According to the investigation, the director of a local commercial entity is involved in the offence.

The investigation established that the businessman had signed an agreement with the regional military enlistment office to supply a wholesale batch of bulletproof vests to Ukrainian defenders.

At the same time, their cost was artificially inflated, while the quality did not meet the state standard’s requirements.

Based on the evidence collected, the director of the supplier company was served a notice of suspicion under two Articles of the CCU:

• 191.5 (misappropriation, embezzlement or seizure of property through abuse of office);
• 209.1 (laundering of criminal proceeds).

The indictment has been submitted to court. The investigation is ongoing to bring to justice all persons involved in the exposed scheme.

Primarily, investigators are checking the involvement of the military enlistment office’s officials.

The offenders are facing up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The SSU is working on the case under the procedural supervision of the Prosecutor General’s Office.