Lviv businessmen and a former Defense Ministry official are suspected of a scheme to influence defense contracts worth UAH 1.84 billion

The Prosecutor General’s Office has reported suspicions to two Lviv businessmen and a former official of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in the case of possible illegal influence on the conclusion of defense contracts worth more than 1.84 billion hryvnias.

According to the investigation, the entrepreneurs who controlled a number of supplier companies for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine provided the former employee of the Ministry of Defense with an illegal benefit for assistance in the approval, conclusion, advance payment and execution of government contracts.

These are at least five contracts for the supply of body armor, helmets, winter clothing and other military equipment. The total value of the contracts exceeded 1.84 billion hryvnias, of which more than 1 billion hryvnias has already been transferred as an advance payment and payment.

The investigation recorded two episodes of the transfer of illegal benefits: 150 thousand hryvnias through bank transfers to the cards of related persons, as well as payment for accommodation, meals and rest in a sanatorium in the amount of more than 290 thousand hryvnias. The total amount of benefits amounted to more than 441 thousand hryvnias.

The materials of the proceedings contain correspondence between the suspects, where transfers of funds, approval of documents and acceleration of the signing of contracts were discussed.

The businessmen are accused of providing illegal benefits for influencing the decision-making of officials, and the former official of the Ministry of Defense is accused of receiving such benefits.

Separately, law enforcement officers recalled that since January 2024, these same businessmen have already been in custody in another criminal proceeding regarding the appropriation of more than 1 billion hryvnias during the supply of low-quality equipment for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. One of them also appears in the case of bribery of an official of the State Bureau of Investigation.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.