The fight against corruption is usually associated with high-profile arrests of high-ranking officials, media scandals and demonstrative searches. However, corruption often thrives at lower levels, where it is more difficult to detect, and the lack of systemic reforms only exacerbates the problem. One of the recent incidents, when the Bureau of Economic Security (BEB) detained the car of an accountant of a company that supplies food to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, became a vivid example of the scale of cash circulating in this market and how corruption remains invisible to the general public.
The history of "Mit prom" and the blocking of work
Last week, the Meat Prom company, one of the suppliers of food for the Armed Forces, announced that its activities were blocked by law enforcement officers. BEB representatives blocked the ability to ship products and access employees to workplaces. The company claimed that there were no grounds for such actions, and the blocking took place as part of an investigation into a criminal proceeding regarding tax evasion.
4.7 million euros in the trunk: Where does the money come from?
However, in the course of this investigation, BEB detectives discovered more than 4.7 million euros in cash in the trunk of the company's accountant's car, the origin of which the woman could not explain. This came as a shock to the public and raised questions about how such sums could have gone unnoticed. The discovery of these funds gave reason to believe that corruption schemes at the level of food supply for the Armed Forces are still actively functioning.
Glynynaya group of companies: Schemes and machinations
Further investigation revealed a connection between several companies that provide food supplies for military units and a group led by Tetyana Glinyana. In particular, we are talking about the companies "Grand Consult" and "Active Company", which supplied products worth billions of hryvnias, using fictitious transactions and inflating the prices of products in certain regions.
Fictitious deliveries and theft of products
As part of the SBI investigation, a criminal scheme was discovered, according to which food products supplied to military units were actually not delivered or their quantity was significantly reduced. For example, the head of the flight and technical canteen of one of the military units in the Kyiv region organized the appropriation of part of the products, and the saved products were sold for money. However, the surplus of goods did not stop the criminals - they forged accounting documents, creating the illusion of repeated deliveries, which were never carried out.
The system continues to function
Despite the announced suspicions and house arrest of those involved in the scheme, the management of Glynyana's companies continued their activities. The investigation revealed even more evidence of falsification of invoices and possible embezzlement of budget funds, which only emphasized the systemic nature of corruption in the rear support of the Armed Forces.
This story demonstrates how deep-rooted corruption is in the army's supply system. It shows that the fight against corruption cannot be successful only at the level of high-profile arrests and dismissals of ministers. Systemic reforms must be implemented to ensure transparency and accountability at all levels, including suppliers and lower back-end support. Otherwise, corruption will continue to undermine the country's military capability even in times of war.
