The State Bureau of Investigation has uncovered a large-scale scheme to embezzle budget funds related to the purchase of food for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the center of the scheme are officials from the Ministry of Defense, the state enterprise "DOT" and private businesses, who together "absorbed" over 1.54 billion hryvnias on the supply of low-quality food at inflated prices.
According to the investigation, on March 10, 2024, bypassing transparent tenders, two “manual” contracts were concluded with Busky Cannery LLC for a total of UAH 1.48 billion. Officials explained this by the lack of offers on Prozorro. However, the cost of a unit of production — UAH 113.76 excluding VAT — turned out to be significantly overstated, and the plant itself did not have the technical capacity to ensure supplies.
Problems arose immediately: the products did not arrive, or had a lower weight than indicated in the documents, and sometimes were replaced with cheaper analogues. Laboratory tests confirmed that the products did not meet DSTU standards and technical specifications.
Despite everything, in May and December 2024, the head of the state enterprise "DOT" Arsen Zhudilov concluded new agreements with the supplier for UAH 5.82 billion. Part of them has already been paid - UAH 1.54 billion has been transferred to the company's accounts. The agreement dated December 16 provided for the purchase of more than 21 million food kits at UAH 112.40 each.
Each contract was accompanied by 1 to 8 additional agreements, which allowed for changing the terms of supply and manipulating prices. The State Bureau of Investigation recorded at least four ways in which budget funds were withdrawn:
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Reducing the weight of grocery sets.
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Delivery of poor quality products.
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Substitution of goods with cheaper analogues.
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Manipulations with catalogs – hundreds of items were declared, but only a few were supplied.
Despite 176 violations recorded in August 2024, the State Enterprise "DOT" did not take any measures - neither fines nor termination of the contract.
Then there is more: according to the investigation, through fictitious transactions with shell companies (Maki-Trade, Fruitland, Initiative Plus, and others), Busky Cannery Plant generated a tax credit of UAH 54.6 million, evading taxes.
The scheme was overseen by Oleksandr Lapshyn, a partner of famous businessman Ihor Hrynkevich, along with his relatives. Later, the company was re-registered as a resident of Zhytomyr region.
The State Audit Service began monitoring only after the disclosure, but there has still been no reaction from the leadership of the Ministry of Defense.
