The former Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov recently commented on the corruption scandal that unfolded around the Ministry of Defense during his leadership. In an interview with Radio Liberty, Reznikov stated that a significant part of the information circulating in the media was fake or exaggerated. In addition, he noted that law enforcement agencies have never contacted him regarding this scandal.
Reznikov emphasized that he had not received any inquiries or appeals from law enforcement agencies in connection with the corruption allegations leveled against the Ministry of Defense. He also added that no procedural actions were initiated against him, which confirms, in his opinion, the unfairness and falsity of these accusations.
"There were no appeals to me, no procedural actions against me, no communications. And the reason is that, in fact, a lot of what was heard is actually fake news or exaggerated information," said the former minister.
Scandal with "17 eggs"
One of the most high-profile cases related to the Ministry of Defense concerned the purchase of eggs for the Armed Forces of Ukraine at an allegedly inflated price of 17 hryvnias per piece. This scandal received a wide resonance in the media and society, which, according to many analysts, became one of the reasons for Reznikov's resignation from the post of Minister of Defense at the end of 2023.
However, a year after the scandal, Tetyana Nikolayenko, a member of the People's Council under the Ministry of Defense, made public information that casts doubt on the authenticity of the accusations. She stated that according to the data received by the Public Council, the Ministry of Defense did not actually pay 17 hryvnias for one egg, and the contract indicated a price of 9 hryvnias per egg. This indicates a possible misunderstanding or manipulation of information at the time of the scandal.
Reznikov also suggested that the spread of fake news and fanning of the scandal could be part of an information war aimed at discrediting him. He noted with irony that they could celebrate in Moscow, because his presence as Minister of Defense was inconvenient for Russia.
