By Micheal Chukwuebuka, Reporting
AMID war with Russia, employees from a Ukrainian arms firm conspired with defense ministry officials to embezzle almost $40 million earmarked to buy 100,000 mortar shells.
Stonix News reports that five officials have been charged, with one person detained while trying to cross the Ukrainian border.
They will likely face up to 12 years in prison if found guilty.
According to security officials, the current Investigation dates back to August 2022, when officials signed a contract for artillery shells worth 1.5 billion hryvnias ($39.6 million) with arms firm Lviv Arsenal.
After receiving payment, company employees were supposed to transfer the funds to a business registered aboard, which would then deliver the ammunition to Ukraine.
However, the goods were never delivered and the money was instead sent to various accounts in Ukraine and the Balkans.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general said that the funds have since been seized and will be returned to the country’s defense budget.
What's your reaction?
