The head of the Zaporizhia Housing and Operations Department of the Ministry of Defense, Ivan Maksymenko, has been detained on suspicion of organizing the procurement of firewood for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at inflated prices. This was reported by law enforcement officers, who qualified his actions as official negligence, which caused multi-million-dollar losses to the state.
The investigation found that the official systematically concluded direct contracts with individuals, avoiding the procurement procedures prescribed by law. As a result, firewood was purchased at the highest prices among all similar units of the Ministry of Defense.
Of particular interest was the fact that Kyiv companies were chosen as suppliers, despite the fact that the firewood was purchased for the region, where it is available at much lower prices.
According to preliminary estimates, such purchases led to losses to the state budget of almost 20 million hryvnias.
Ivan Maksymenko has already been charged under Article 425 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — “Neglectful attitude to military service.” The issue of choosing a preventive measure for him is currently being considered. Media reports indicate that the official may be released on bail.
The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement officials do not rule out that other individuals may be involved in the scheme.
