https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-corruption-476d673…
Employees from a Ukrainian arms firm conspired with defense ministry officials to embezzle almost $40 million earmarked to buy 100,000 mortar shells for the war with Russia, Ukraine’s security service reported.
The SBU said late Saturday that five people have been charged, with one person detained while trying to cross the Ukrainian border. If found guilty, they face up to 12 years in prison.
The investigation comes as Kyiv attempts to clamp down on corruption in a bid to speed up its membership in the European Union and NATO. Officials from both blocs have demanded widespread anti-graft reforms before Kyiv can join them.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was elected on an anti-corruption platform in 2019, long before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Both the president and his aides have portrayed the recent firings of top officials, notably that of Ivan Bakanov, former head of the State Security Service, in July 2022, as proof of their efforts to crack down on graft.
@ZebraDanLibertarian4mos4MO
For two years, Rand Paul repeatedly tried to condition US aid to Ukraine on having real auditing and safeguard mechanisms to trace the money.
Biden, McConnell and Schumer not only united to stop it, but depicted Paul as a Kremlin apologist for doing it.
@SpiritedChowderRepublican4mos4MO
For those who were irrationally arguing that Ukraine isn't corrupt, I expect this will change your minds.
No, I really don't. You won't change your minds until your programmers tell you to.
@ZebraDanLibertarian4mos4MO
Audit Zelensky the multi billionare now. Pandora papers next round.
@Patriot-#1776Constitution4mos4MO
Rand Paul & Mike Lee – the only true defenders of liberty in the Senate
@WholesomeOctopusGreen4mos4MO
Would be wild if we learned that after the U.S. pushed Imran Khan out of power, which enabled Pakistan to start selling mortars to Ukraine, that the money for them was simply stolen instead
@ZealousDonRepublican4mos4MO
There are anecdotal reports of some Pakistani made shells on Ukrainian battlefields so we do know at least some made it
@9JGSQ2RIndependent4mos4MO
it makes a lot of sense, but its concerning to wonder about how much more of our money has been wasted
@9JGR7T44mos4MO
not good for ukraine and they should be more carful
@9JGXQB84mos4MO
we should help get that money back or provide it till its all found
@9JGT2KQ4mos4MO
I think that's a bad thing because $40 million is a lot, especially for Ukraine.
@ParliamentEllaRepublican4mos4MO
How much was reserved for the Big Guy?
@ReformJackrabbitLibertarian4mos4MO
Very soon the full extent of Ukrainian theft of US cash to be revealed:
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