Ukraine says it uncovers major drone procurement corruption scheme
The independence of Ukraine's anti-graft investigators and prosecutors, NABU and SAPO, was reinstated by parliament on Thursday after a move to take it away resulted in the country's biggest demonstrations since Russia's invasion in 2022.
In a statement published by both agencies on social media, NABU and SAPO said they had caught a sitting lawmaker, two local officials and an unspecified number of national guard personnel taking bribes. None of them were identified in the statement.
'The essence of the scheme was to conclude state contracts with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices,' it said, adding that the offenders had received kickbacks of up to 30% of a contract's cost. Four people had been arrested.
'There can only be zero tolerance for corruption, clear teamwork to expose corruption and, as a result, a just sentence,' Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
Zelensky, who has far-reaching wartime presidential powers and still enjoys broad approval among Ukrainians, was forced into a rare political about-face when his attempt to bring NABU and SAPO under the control of his prosecutor-general sparked the first nationwide protests of the war.
Zelensky subsequently said that he had heard the people's anger, and submitted a bill restoring the agencies' former independence, which was voted through by parliament on Thursday.
Ukraine's European allies praised the move, having voiced concerns about the original stripping of the agencies' status.
Top European officials had told Zelensky that Ukraine was jeopardizing its bid for European Union membership by curbing the powers of its anti-graft authorities.
'It is important that anti-corruption institutions operate independently, and the law adopted on Thursday guarantees them every opportunity for a real fight against corruption,' Zelensky wrote on Saturday after meeting the heads of the agencies, who briefed him on the latest investigation.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Billionaire Ong to Plead Guilty in Singapore Political Gift Scandal
(Bloomberg) -- A billionaire best known for bringing Formula One night racing to Singapore is set to plead guilty in relation to a scandal to supply one of the city-state's most senior politicians with luxury gifts. We Should All Be Biking Along the Beach Seeking Relief From Heat and Smog, Cities Follow the Wind Chicago Curbs Hiring, Travel to Tackle $1 Billion Budget Hole NYC Mayor Adams Gives Bally's Bronx Casino Plan a Second Chance On Monday, 79-year-old Ong Beng Seng will enter his plea after facing two charges related to offering S. Iswaran in 2022 a trip on his private jet to Doha, a stay at the Four Seasons there, a return business class ticket worth S$5,700 ($4,422.3) and subsequently abetting the politician to obstruct the course of justice. The former transport minister was then the chairman of a steering committee for the F1 night race. Ong could be sentenced by a Singapore court as soon as Monday or at a later date. He faces up to several years in jail, including a possible fine, if he pleads guilty to both charges. Singapore's worst graft scandal in decades has gripped the city-state, which has sought to build a global reputation for zero-tolerance for corruption. How the Malaysia-born tycoon is sentenced will also weigh on his control of a business empire that extends from the Southeast Asian financial hub to a luxury development in central London and resorts in the Maldives. Ong has a net worth of $1.5 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. In 2024, Iswaran was sentenced to one year in jail for obtaining gifts from Ong, which also included items like a Brompton bicycle and race tickets. How Podcast-Obsessed Tech Investors Made a New Media Industry Russia Builds a New Web Around Kremlin's Handpicked Super App Everyone Loves to Hate Wind Power. Scotland Found a Way to Make It Pay Off What's Really Behind Those Rosy GDP Numbers? Cage-Free Eggs Are Booming in the US, Despite Cost and Trump's Efforts ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ukrainian Drone Delivers Emergency E-Bike To Surrounded Soldier
The Fourth Operational "Rubizh" Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine has saved the life of one of its soldiers by airlifting him an e-bike via drone delivery, and yes, this is what war looks like now. The soldier, callsign "Tankist," was part of a squad on the front line near Siversk in eastern Ukraine. Surrounded by the Russians, who deployed such high-tech tactics as literally throwing gas canisters and a lighter into their foxhole, three of the squad were killed. Tankist, however, managed to crawl his way out of the burning hole. As recounted in an official video from the brigade itself, things were pretty grim for Tankist at that point. The grizzled combat vet had injured his leg in the escape, bad enough that he couldn't get very far. He was forced to post up in place and try to fend off the surrounding Russians, assisted by bomber drone cover and encouragement from his commanders over the radio. Even though he was just one guy, the brigade wanted to pull their brother out. Only question was, how? Well, Ukraine has been nothing if not unconventional throughout this war, particularly in its use of drones, and this situation was no exception. Somebody came up with the idea of, essentially, a drone delivery service, but for an e-bike, which Tankist could just ride out of hell. That's a great idea! And, as it turned out, really hard to actually pull off. Read more: These Are The Worst Tire Recalls In Recent History How To Do A Drone Delivery Run In The Middle Of A War The brigade got their hands on a few Keteles models, which the company describes as "fat tire all terrain e-bikes." This would appear to be an excellent use case for exactly that. Problem was, each one weighed about 88 pounds, and the heavy bomber quadcopter drones were only rated to carry about half that. Utilizing the time-honored strategy of "just do it anyway," the brigade heroically sent out the bike-laden drone... which the Russians shot down. Undeterred, the unit tried again, but the second drone's motors blew out just trying to lift all that weight. Tankist, meanwhile, was still surrounded and alone. What could they do? Creativity came to the rescue again. They sent out the drone with the bike still unassembled, maybe making the payload a bit steadier by being more compact. This they flew to a waypoint nearer to Tankist, where a different squad assembled the bike and switched it on. The already-on bike was then carried the final distance to Tankist, under a smoke screen and covering fire from other bomber drones to fend off the Russians. Salvation from above! Except, not. Saving Tankist The heavy drone had winched the e-bike down on cables, and those cables had gotten tangled up in the wheels. Fortunately, Tankist was able to work out the kinks, literally, and then off he went, beelining it for the nearest Ukrainian position. Fortunately, no Russians shot at him. Unfortunately, he hit a landmine. Amazingly, the e-bike, which had already saved his life, now saved it a second time by taking the entirety of the blast itself. Though the noble steed was now slain, Tankist was no worse for wear. Not about to give up now, he just limped his way towards his goal. From the position he was trying to reach, two other Ukrainian soldiers ran out into the danger zone to help him along. Tankist finally made it back to friendly territory. But it wasn't over yet. His leg was still a mess, and he needed better medical attention than the front could provide. The brigade still needed to pull him farther out. How could they do that? Well, here's an idea: why not airlift an e-bike to him via drone delivery? Copying the exact same stunt they'd pulled off the first time, the brigade flew a disassembled bike to a waypoint, had the squad there assemble it and turn it on, then flew the last stretch to Tankist. This time, there were no tangled wires and no landmines: he just rode off under sunny skies, eventually getting where he needed to go. A soldier made it out of hell, thanks to an e-bike and a drone. War may be the worst, but sometimes, some pretty amazing stories come out of it. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Top Trump aide accuses India of financing Russia's war in Ukraine
By Jasper Ward WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A top aide to President Donald Trump on Sunday accused India of effectively financing Russia's war in Ukraine by purchasing oil from Moscow, after the U.S. leader escalated pressure on New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil. "What he (Trump) said very clearly is that it is not acceptable for India to continue financing this war by purchasing the oil from Russia," said Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House and one of Trump's most influential aides. Miller's criticism was some of the strongest yet by the Trump administration about one of the United States' major partners in the Indo-Pacific. "People will be shocked to learn that India is basically tied with China in purchasing Russian oil. That's an astonishing fact," Miller said on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures." The Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Indian government sources told Reuters on Saturday that New Delhi will keep purchasing oil from Moscow despite U.S. threats. A 25% tariff on Indian products went into effect on Friday as a result of its purchase of military equipment and energy from Russia. Trump has also threatened 100% tariffs on U.S. imports from countries that buy Russian oil unless Moscow reaches a major peace deal with Ukraine. Miller tempered his criticism by noting Trump's relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which he described as "tremendous."
