The fight against corruption is usually associated with high-profile arrests of high-ranking officials, media scandals and demonstrative searches. However, corruption often flourishes at lower levels, where it is more difficult to detect, and the lack of systemic reforms only exacerbates this problem. One recent incident, when the Bureau of Economic Security (BES) detained the car of an accountant of a company supplying food to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, became a vivid example of the scale of the 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 company "Mit Prom", one of the suppliers of food for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, announced that its activities were blocked by law enforcement officers. BEB representatives blocked the possibility of shipping products and access to employees' workplaces. The company claimed that there were no grounds for such actions, and the blocking took place as part of an investigation into criminal proceedings regarding tax evasion.
4.7 million euros in the trunk: Where did the money come from?
However, during this investigation, BEB detectives discovered over 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 was 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 operating.
Glynianoy Group of Companies: Schemes and Fraud
Further investigation revealed a connection between several companies that provide food supplies to military units and a group led by Tetyana Hlynianaya. In particular, we are talking about the companies "Grand Consult" and "Aktiv Kompani", which supplied products worth billions of hryvnias, using fictitious transactions and inflating product prices in certain regions.
Fictitious deliveries and product theft
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 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 that never took place.
The system continues to function
Despite the announced suspicions and house arrest of those involved in the scheme, the management of Glynianaya's companies continued their activities. The investigation revealed even more evidence of fictitious invoices and possible embezzlement of budget funds, which only emphasized the systemic corruption in the logistics support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
This story demonstrates how deeply rooted corruption is in the army’s supply chain. It shows that the fight against corruption cannot be successful only at the level of high-profile arrests and dismissals of ministers. It is necessary to implement systemic reforms that ensure transparency and accountability at all levels, including suppliers and lower levels of logistics. Otherwise, corruption will continue to undermine the country’s combat capability even in times of war.
