Rescue workers and inflated procurement costs: what is known about the 6.4 million hryvnia case
3 February 21:43
Law enforcement officials have notified the director of a supplier company that, in 2022, supplied protective suits to rescue workers in Vinnytsia at a price nearly twice the market rate. According to the investigation, the scheme caused 6.4 million hryvnias in losses to the state.
This was announced by the Office of the Prosecutor General, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
What are the allegations?
The case involves the purchase of 790 sets of special radiation, chemical, and biological protection gear, which the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service in Vinnytsia Oblast acquired at the height of a full-scale war.
Investigators claim that:
- the suits were of substandard quality;
- they were purchased for 8,100 UAH per unit;
- whereas the average market price was 4,417 UAH.
According to investigators’ calculations, this difference resulted in multimillion-dollar losses for the budget.
Conspiracy with State Emergency Service Officials
According to law enforcement, the director of the Lviv-based company acted in collusion with officials from the Vinnytsia branch of the State Emergency Service.
Earlier, as part of the same proceedings, the following individuals were notified of their status as suspects:
- the former head of the regional State Emergency Service department;
- the head of the resource support department.
The company director was charged under several articles, including the embezzlement of budget funds through abuse of official position, committed by a group of individuals in collusion under martial law on a particularly large scale, as well as the legalization (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means.
A preventive measure has already been applied to the suspect (the prosecutor’s office has not specified the type).
Who is investigating the case
The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators from the Territorial Office of the State Bureau of Investigation in Khmelnytskyi with operational support from the Internal Security Department of the National Police, while procedural oversight is being provided by the Vinnytsia Regional Prosecutor’s Office.
The case is being investigated against the backdrop of a series of criminal proceedings regarding overpriced procurements in the security and defense sector during the war.
Previously, law enforcement officials reported the purchase of army beds at double the price in Odesa, the embezzlement of 14.6 million hryvnias in the State Penitentiary Service, cases of illicit enrichment within the logistics structures of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and a large-scale corruption scheme during the procurement of food for the army, which was uncovered by NABU and the SAPO.
