Ukrainian anti-corruption authorities pulled off a new coup this week. Like the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine In a press release The state attorney’s office, which specializes in corruption cases, is currently investigating two high-ranking state officials. Doubt: Millions in humanitarian aid misused.
According to it, Deputy Agriculture Minister Taras Vysotskyi and former Deputy Economy Minister Oleksandr Hryban allegedly embezzled state funds of around 62 million hryvnias (equivalent to 1.5 million euros).
Doubt: Buying humanitarian goods at two to three times the price
According to Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau, the food Deputy Agriculture Minister Vysotsky bought at two to three times the market value was actually humanitarian aid.
Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture purchased the food through a company he controls, according to a press release. The company received food from a Polish producer at regular market prices.
So was Deputy Agriculture Minister Vysotsky pocketing Ukrainian government money earmarked for humanitarian aid? At least that’s what Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau says.
“He knew the actual market value of the products because he regularly received the relevant data from the State Statistics Office,” the company writes in its press release. “He was also aware of the possibility of purchasing goods from Ukrainian manufacturers, but deliberately ignored it.”
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Vysotsky’s fraud allegedly cost Ukrainian railway company Ukrzaliznytsia 2022 around 719,000 euros between March and August. In particular, it concerns the provision of assistance to the regional military administrations and the people of the cities of Donetsk, Cherson, Sumy, Zaporizhia, Kiev, Khmelnytskyi, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava and Kiev.
Evidence is said to have been secured as a result of house raids
Former deputy economic minister Hribhan is also said to be involved in the fraud case. The state prosecutor’s office accuses him of embezzling state funds along with Vysotsky. The funds are said to be taken for humanitarian aid.
Vysotskyi and Hryban allegedly purchased overpriced groceries through an intermediary company, which received groceries at market value from a Turkish manufacturer.
According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Hraiban allegedly concealed the existence of better offers. He allegedly forced his officers to illegally approve applications and invoices from companies involved in the scam.
As a result of these maneuvers, Ukrainian railway company Ukrzaliznytsia allegedly overpaid by around 841,000 euros.
Ukraine’s anti-corruption office reported seizing records of fraud from one of the suspects as a result of house raids. Investigations are said to be ongoing.
Ukraine is firing officials for corruption
Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sacked all regional military recruitment chiefs over corruption allegations and replaced them with former top brass.
Two other corruption scandals rocked Ukraine in January of this year: at that time, they concerned state procurement of military supplies and power generators. It is said that the officers involved in this malpractice have also been dismissed.
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