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Kyiv Cracking Down on Corruption: Four Detained in Drone and Warfare Fund Scandal
Aug. 2 (UPI) — Ukrainian authorities have detained four individuals, including a member of parliament, in connection with a significant corruption investigation. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) allege the individuals misappropriated funds earmarked for drones and electronic warfare equipment.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the detentions, emphasizing a “zero tolerance” policy towards corruption. The arrests follow a recent law reinstating the independence of NABU and SAPO, a move previously reversed and met with widespread criticism.
The detainees include Oleksii Kuznetsov, a member of Zelensky’s Servant of the People party; Serhii Haidai, former Luhansk governor; Andrii Yurchenko, head of Luhansk Oblast’s Rubizhne district; and a member of the National Guard. Kuznetsov is expected to be dismissed from his party pending the investigation’s outcome.
The alleged scheme involved inflating state contracts for electronic warfare and drone purchases, with officials receiving kickbacks as high as 30% of the contract value. In one instance, a military unit allegedly overpaid $80,000 on a $239,000 drone contract.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko has vowed to implement preventative measures within the National Guard to curb future abuses of power, ensuring accountability for any violations.