Ukrainian authorities on Saturday uncovered a bribery scheme related to the acquisition of military equipment involving a Ukrainian parliamentarian, members of the National Guard, and local government officials.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who posted on social media, “a deputy, as well as heads of district and municipal administrations, and members of the National Guard of Ukraine were denounced for taking bribes.”
The head of state made these statements after meeting with Semen Krivonos, director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), and Oleksandr Klimenko, head of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
"I thank the anti-corruption agencies for their work. There can only be zero tolerance for corruption, clear teamwork to expose it, and ultimately a fair sentence," the Ukrainian president said.
In response to the alleged plot, Ukrainian Interior Minister Igor Klimenko announced an internal investigation into the National Guard, whose commander has removed from their positions the people who allegedly received bribes in that state structure.
"The Interior Ministry is consistently and fundamentally combating corruption at all levels," Klimenko said, according to the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.
“The recent complaint against members of the National Guard is the result of the work of our colleagues in charge of enforcing the law and proof that there can be no untouchables among lawbreakers,” added the head of the Interior Ministry.
As NABU explained the plot on its Telegram channel,"the essence of the plan was to conclude state contracts with supplier companies at deliberately inflated prices."
“Up to 30% of the contract amount was returned to the participants in the crime in the form of illicit profits,” NABU said.
Corruption agencies have been the subject of a controversial executive reform that led to protests in kyiv and other Ukrainian cities over concerns that these agencies were losing their independence.
Ukraine's Verkhovna Rada (Parliament) finally approved on Thursday with an absolute majority of 331 votes in favor a new bill proposed by Zelensky that would restore the independence of NABU and SAP.
The parliamentary session, which was the first to be broadcast live since the war began nearly three and a half years ago, began with a fistfight between two lawmakers, reflecting the tense atmosphere surrounding the anti-corruption controversy at a critical time for the country.
Outside parliament, protesters who had gathered to follow the debate celebrated the result with shouts and applause.
Shortly after, the law was signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky."I have just signed the document, and the text will be published immediately. This guarantees the normal and independent work of anti-corruption agencies and all law enforcement agencies in our country," he stated.
Prime Minister Yulia Sviridenko welcomed Thursday's decision, asserting that the new law"eliminates the risk of interference in the work of anti-corruption agencies." "This is a clear response to the expectations of society and our European partners," she added on social media.
Meanwhile, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) reported on an attack early Saturday morning against a Russian drone depot at the Primorsko-Akhtarsk military airfield in southern Russia and a military plant in central Russia.
According to a statement from Ukraine's main intelligence and internal security service,"SBU drones hit the Shahed storage airfield in Primorsko-Akhtarsk and the Elektroprylad military plant."
The official statement stated that "SBU drones continued their operations targeting Russian military facilities located in the enemy rear." The main targets at the airfield were the warehouses and launch sites of the Shaheds, which launch daily attacks against Ukraine.
