The Security Service of Ukraine announced the detection and stopping of a scheme to embezzle state funds related to the purchase of shells for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the amount of about 1.5 billion hryvnias. Suspicion in this case has been declared against five persons, including officials of the Ministry of Defense and representatives of Lviv Arsenal.
One of the suspects is Oleksandr Liev, the former head of the Department of Military-Technical Policy, Development of Weapons and Military Equipment of the Ministry of Defense. He disclosed his position on Facebook, saying that his actions were legal and carried out in the performance of public functions. Liev also emphasized that his actions were confirmed by the results of the polygraph and the written confirmation of the military attaché of Ukraine .
SBU employees established that after receiving funds to the accounts of Lviv Arsenal, part of the money was transferred to the accounts of a foreign company that was supposed to supply ammunition to Ukraine. However, this company did not fulfill its obligations and transferred the received funds into the shadows.
As a result of the measures taken, the SBU managed to document the embezzlement scheme of state funds and identify all persons involved in this crime. Now the issue of returning the stolen funds to the budget of Ukraine is being resolved.
Five persons involved in this scheme were notified of suspicion under Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine ( appropriation , embezzlement of property or possession of it by abuse of official position , committed by an organized group), which provides for up to 12 years of imprisonment with confiscation of property .
It is worth noting that the court's decision to collect more than 1.5 billion hryvnias from LLC "Lviv Arsenal" in favor of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine has become legal and subject to enforcement.
