Ukraine's 2 anti-corruption agencies detain 4 in drone, weapons scheme

UPI

6 hours ago

President Volodymyr Zelensky announced Saturday that four Ukrainians have been detained in an investigation of "large-scale" corruption by the nation's two anti-corruption agencies. File Photo by Ole Berg/EPA
Aug. 2 (UPI) -- Four Ukrainians have been detained in an investigation of "large-scale" governmental corruption, the nation's two anti-corruption agencies said Saturday.
A member of parliament, two current and former officials, and a member of the National Guard military were involved, according to the nation's National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office.
They allegedly were involved in a plot to take funds appropriated for drones and electronic warfare in 2024 and 2025, NABU posted on Telegram. They also acquired and distributed "unlawful benefits on an especially large scale," the agency said.
On Thursday, President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law passed unanimously by the parliament that restores the independence of the two agencies. One week earlier, the parliament had passed the law and Zelensky signed it that essentially ends their independence.
The former law sparked large protests and international rebuke, the Kyiv Independent reported.
In his daily video address, he said the schemes were "absolutely immoral."
Today I received a report from the Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk. I am grateful for our special long-range operations on Russian territory. Each of them is tangible for the enemy, and our operations will continue - Russia is dragging out the war, so it... pic.twitter.com/Tfvkru58Ix— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 2, 2025
"I am grateful to the anti-corruption agencies for their work," Zelensky posted on X. "There can only be zero tolerance for corruption, clear teamwork in uncovering it, and ultimately, a fair sentence. It is important that anti-corruption institutions operate independently, and the law passed on Thursday guarantees them all the tools necessary for a real fight against corruption."
NABU Director Semen Kryvonos and Head of the SAPO Oleksandr Klymenko delivered a report.
A Ukrainian MP, along with heads of district and city administrations and several National Guard servicemembers, were exposed for bribery. I am grateful to the anti-corruption agencies for... pic.twitter.com/VEH2qzFxUg— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) August 2, 2025
Detained were Oleksii Kuznetsov, a member of Zelensky's Servant of the People party; Serhii Haidai, a former Luhansk governor; Andrii Yurchenko, head of Luhansk Oblast's Rubizhne district and the guard member.
Kuznetsov will be dismissed from the Servant of the People in the parliament during the investigation, party leader David Arakhimia said.
In one scheme, they are accused of inflating a state contract for the purchase of electronic warfare with officials receiving a kickback of 30% of the conteact in exchange for inflating the price.
They were also involved in a similar way in state contracts for drones. A military unit signed a $239,000 contract with a producer with an overpaymernt of $80,000, the agencies said.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced the National Guard was implementing "systemic safeguards" to prevent power abuse.
"We are building a system in which honest service is protected, and there will be inevitable responsibility for violations," Klymenko posted on Telegram.
Ukraine has been purchasing drones and weapons from other nations since Russia invaded the nation in February 2022.