Zelenskyy expects fair punishment for "absolutely immoral" schemes exposed by anti-corruption agencies

KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO — 2 August, 20:55
Zelenskyy expects fair punishment for absolutely immoral schemes exposed by anti-corruption agencies
Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Photo: Office of the President of Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has described the corruption schemes exposed by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) concerning the procurement of electronic warfare equipment and FPV drones as "absolutely immoral" and stressed the need for full and fair accountability.

Source: Zelenskyy's evening address 

Quote: "Anti-corruption agencies have exposed a deputy of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine [Parliament], along with heads of district and city administrations and National Guard servicemembers, for bribery. Unfortunately, these corruption schemes involved the procurement of electronic warfare systems and FPV drones. This is absolutely immoral. There must be full and fair accountability for this.

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I thanked the heads of the anti-corruption agencies for their work – for such exposures. And I want to thank them for their teamwork. NABU and SAPO have every opportunity to operate effectively. We are counting on fair verdicts."

Details: Zelenskyy also stressed that he expects "meaningful results" from the internal investigation being conducted by the National Guard into this situation.

"Only combat officers will hold leadership positions in all logistics units of the National Guard. I have instructed the minister to publicly present all the details of these changes," he added.

Background:

  • Earlier on 2 August, following a report from NABU director Semen Kryvonos and SAPO head Oleksandr Klymenko, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that a corrupt MP, several heads of local government and members of the National Guard had been caught accepting bribes.
  • NABU and SAPO have exposed an MP, several heads of local government and service members from the National Guard as having been involved in bribery in relation to the procurement of drones and electronic warfare equipment. The scheme involved entering into state contracts with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices.
  • Sources told Ukrainska Pravda that Oleksii Kuznietsov, an MP from the Servant of the People party, Serhii Haidai, Head of Mukachevo District State Administration in Zakarpattia Oblast and former head of Luhansk Oblast Military Administration, and Andrii Yurchenko, Head of Rubizhne City Military Administration in Luhansk Oblast, are among those who have been exposed by NABU and SAPO as having been involved in large-scale corruption.
  • Kuznietsov's membership in the Servant of the People parliamentary faction will be suspended while he is under investigation and there are plans to expel him from the party. Meanwhile, the National Guard commander has removed the individuals involved from their posts.
  • The Cabinet of Ministers (Ukrainian government) plans to initiate the process of dismissing Serhii Haidai as head of Mukachevo District State Administration. 

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Zelenskyy National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine corruption
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