“Eggs at 17 are no longer available”: Egg prices for the Ukrainian Armed Forces have dropped by a factor of three
3 July 10:48
The price of chicken eggs, which were previously purchased for the Armed Forces of Ukraine at 17 hryvnias apiece, has fallen by two-thirds. Alla Basalaeva, head of the State Audit Service of Ukraine, reported this in an interview with “Glavkom,” according to
According to her, the situation with food supplies for the military has changed significantly.
“The situation with food supplies for the military has improved, but it’s not ideal. There remains a problem with the supply of low-quality products; we’re seeing violations of delivery deadlines and inflated prices due to the purchase of products from intermediaries. For example, purchasing food through individual entrepreneurs acting as intermediaries has led to price increases of 109 million hryvnias. But ‘eggs for 17’ are a thing of the past…” Basalaeva noted.
The head of the State Audit Service clarified that currently, the price per egg (depending on the category) ranges from 5 to 7 hryvnias.
The State Audit Service is currently conducting a large-scale audit of the defense-industrial complex. In total, the audit covers 92 business entities. These include all enterprises under the management of JSC “Ukrainian Defense Industry” (formerly the “Ukroboronprom” concern), the Defense Procurement Agency, and the State Logistics Operator (both of which report to the Ministry of Defense).
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According to Alla Basalayeva, as of May 2026, auditors had already completed audits of 16 entities, with another 27 enterprises currently under review. The remaining entities are scheduled to be audited in the third and fourth quarters of this year.
“Compared to the previous audit of the Ministry of Defense, representatives of defense industry enterprises are not creating any obstacles for our auditors. Everything is proceeding smoothly, and the requested information is being provided,” Basalayeva said.
Positive changes have also been noted regarding the provision of clothing to military personnel. The head of the State Audit Service confirmed that the situation regarding uniforms has improved, and the quality has increased. According to her, this was facilitated, in particular, by the publicity surrounding the results of the high-profile audit of the Ministry of Defense in 2023.
At the same time, key problems in defense procurement remain unchanged for both clothing and food.
Auditors cite breaches of contract terms, late delivery of goods, and the use of intermediary schemes instead of direct purchases from manufacturers—which significantly increases the cost of goods for the state—as the main challenges.
The Scandal Over Eggs Priced at 17 Hryvnias
In January 2023, journalists revealed that the Ministry of Defense was purchasing food at prices significantly higher than market rates. The story that caused the biggest stir was about eggs—they were being sold to the government for 17 hryvnias apiece, while on the market they cost about 7 hryvnias.
Following the public outcry, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) joined the investigation. They uncovered an organized criminal group consisting of five people. The group included representatives of supplier companies and military personnel responsible for supplying one of the units.
The investigation established that they had forged documents, falsely reporting food deliveries. The suspects were charged with embezzlement of state property.
The scandal led to personnel changes. Deputy Minister of Defense Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who was responsible for the logistical support of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, resigned. In addition, Bogdan Khmelnytskyi, director of the Department of Public Procurement, was dismissed. His name was subsequently added to the state register of corrupt officials.
As reported by
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