Corruption in Ukroboronprom: NABU and State Audit Service expose scheme in Spetstechnoexport worth millions
16 May 12:36
The State Audit Service of Ukraine, together with the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, uncovered a large-scale financial scheme that resulted in losses to the state amounting to almost EUR 3.8 million. It is about the illegal actions of former officials of Ukroboronprom’s subsidiary, Spetstechnoexport. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the State Audit Service.
According to the results of the pre-trial investigation, in the period from 2016 to 2019, the company unreasonably transferred to the accounts of the Czech company VAKUR s.r.o 3.78 million euros. Formally, the funds were supposed to cover agency services, but the audit found no documentary evidence that these services had been provided at all.
The scheme used forged or fictitious additional agreements that became the basis for withdrawing funds abroad. The fraud affected three defense companies at once:
- SE Artem – EUR 3.63 million in losses;
- Aviakon State Enterprise – 86.9 thousand euros;
- SE “Spetstechnoexport ” – 64.6 thousand euros.
The total amount of losses incurred by the state amounted to EUR 3.78 million.
According to the State Audit Service, all the defendants in the case have already been notified of suspicion.
What is known about Spetstechnoexport?
Spetstechnoexport is a state-owned enterprise that is part of Ukroboronprom and specializes in export and import operations in the field of military and special equipment. It is a subsidiary of Ukrspecexport and plays a key role in ensuring Ukraine’s foreign economic activity in the global arms market.
Ukrspecexport is a self-supporting state foreign trade enterprise founded by the Government of Ukraine in 1998, whose main area of activity is export-import relations in the global market of military and dual-use products and services.
Due to the strategic importance of the company, any financial irregularities in its operations have serious consequences not only for the economy but also for the country’s defense capability.
