Ukraine hit by another military corruption scandal
Complaints from frontline soldiers about subpar 120mm mortar shells began to pour in late last year. Service members claimed that only one in ten shells exploded due to a smorgasbord of problems, including wet powder and faulty fuses. Local media later reported that as many as 100,000 shells had been recalled, and that authorities had launched an investigation.
In a statement on Tuesday, the SBU said that a defense plant in Dnepropetrovsk Region supplied the military with 120,000 mortar rounds unsuitable for combat use. Without identifying the facility, the agency said that it had detained four suspects, including the plant's director general, his deputy, as well as two military officials who were responsible for receiving the rounds and overseeing production.
According to the SBU, the plant signed a contract with Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency to produce 120,000 mortar shells. However, in some cases, the plant used 'low-quality materials and performed defective work' to produce the shells.
This way, the agency continued, 'the organizers of the scheme tried to reduce the cost of production in order to get a greater profit from the state order.' Moreover, the military officials overseeing the process were involved in the scheme and deliberately 'turned a blind eye' to the defective batch of ammunition, the statement read.
The defendants are now charged with aggravated obstruction of the military leading to severe consequences, and face 15 years in prison.
Last year, several media reports indicated that the mortar shell crisis was only one facet of the difficulties in the Ukrainian defense industry, which was struggling to begin mass domestic production due to logistics and personnel issues.
Corruption has also been a long-standing issue in Ukraine's defense sector, especially after the escalation of the conflict with Russia in 2022. Kiev's Western backers have acknowledged the problem, citing graft as a major obstacle to the country's EU integration.
Earlier this week, US National Security Adviser Michael Waltz called for proper oversight of American aid to Kiev, calling Ukraine 'one of the most corrupt countries in the world.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
4 hours ago
- Russia Today
Vast majority of Ukrainians now want peace talks
The vast majority of Ukrainians now support ending the conflict with Russia through peace negotiations rather than continued fighting, according to a new survey released Thursday by the US-based polling firm Gallup. The poll found that 69% of respondents favor a negotiated settlement to the war — a sharp reversal from 2022, when 73% said Ukraine should fight until victory. Gallup described the shift as a 'nearly complete reversal' of public sentiment since the conflict escalated in the spring of that year. Support for negotiations has grown across all regions and demographic groups, the researchers said, indicating a broad-based decline in support for the war effort. Despite the shift in opinion, few Ukrainians believe the fighting will end soon. Only 25% of respondents said they think active hostilities are likely to stop within the next 12 months, and just 5% consider such an outcome 'very likely.' In contrast, 68% believe it is unlikely that the conflict will end within a year. The findings come amid growing public fatigue in Ukraine, driven by mounting casualties, economic hardship, and an increasingly unpopular draft. The government introduced general mobilization in 2022 and later lowered the conscription age. Last month, Vladimir Zelensky signed a law allowing men over 60 to enlist on a contract basis. Reports of harsh enforcement, desertion, and corruption have further eroded public trust. Zelensky, who once held a 90% approval rating, is now supported by just 52% of the population, with a majority saying he should not seek another term. The decline in trust appears to reflect a broader shift in public sentiment toward diplomacy. According to Gallup, the change comes as peace efforts are beginning to gain new momentum. An in-person meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his American counterpart, Donald Trump, could take place as early as next week, according to the Kremlin. Putin named the UAE as one possible location. The poll also showed growing disillusionment with Ukraine's Western backers, particularly the United States. Approval of American leadership has dropped to 16%, while disapproval has climbed to 73%. Still, 70% of respondents want Washington involved in peace talks, alongside the EU and the UK, which received 75% and 71% support, respectively. Belief in Ukraine's accession to NATO has halved since 2022, and hopes for joining the EU have also declined.
Russia Today
13 hours ago
- Russia Today
UK increasingly turning away Ukrainian migrants
British authorities have increasingly been denying Ukrainian migrants the right to extend their stay in the UK, according to the BBC's Russian service. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February of 2022, the UK has accepted over 250,000 Ukrainians. However, the 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, which provided three-year visas to those fleeing the fighting, was recently closed to new applicants, and existing visas are now beginning to expire. In an article published on Thursday, the BBC reported that since the beginning of this year, British authorities have been refusing to grant permanent protection status to Ukrainians on a large scale, arguing that the western regions of their home country are safe. While the Home Office has consistently emphasized that the scheme is temporary, up until recently several options had remained available for Ukrainians wishing to stay in the UK. According to the outlet, the authorities appear to have tightened the criteria for granting long-term humanitarian protection and work visas to Ukrainians since early 2025. The BBC quoted a legal counselor as saying that 'positive decisions are extremely rare and look more like exceptions,' even in cases involving disabled or chronically ill Ukrainians. In recent months, several other British media outlets, including The Guardian and The Telegraph, have published reports describing the same apparent trend in refusals. Across the Channel, several EU member states have also been revising their policies toward Ukrainians. Talk of possible immigrant exit strategies has increased due to a 'shifting geopolitical landscape,' Euractiv reported in June. On Wednesday, German media reported that Labor Minister Barbel Bas had submitted a draft bill, which proposes reducing benefits for Ukrainians, citing financial strain from the continued influx of migrants. In Poland, Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated in March that Poles were growing increasingly frustrated over 'hundreds of thousands, or maybe even over a million young Ukrainians driving the best cars around Europe and spending weekends in five-star hotels.'
Russia Today
17 hours ago
- Russia Today
UK increasingly turning down Ukrainian migrants
British authorities have increasingly been denying Ukrainian migrants the right to extend their stay in the UK, according to the BBC's Russian service. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February of 2022, the UK has accepted over 250,000 Ukrainians. However, the 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme, which provided three-year visas to those fleeing the fighting, was recently closed to new applicants, and existing visas are now beginning to expire. In an article published on Thursday, the BBC reported that since the beginning of this year, British authorities have been refusing to grant permanent protection status to Ukrainians on a large scale, arguing that the western regions of their home country are safe. While the Home Office has consistently emphasized that the scheme is temporary, up until recently several options had remained available for Ukrainians wishing to stay in the UK. According to the outlet, the authorities appear to have tightened the criteria for granting long-term humanitarian protection and work visas to Ukrainians since early 2025. The BBC quoted a legal counselor as saying that 'positive decisions are extremely rare and look more like exceptions,' even in cases involving disabled or chronically ill Ukrainians. In recent months, several other British media outlets, including The Guardian and The Telegraph, have published reports describing the same apparent trend in refusals. Across the Channel, several EU member states have also been revising their policies toward Ukrainians. Talk of possible immigrant exit strategies has increased due to a 'shifting geopolitical landscape,' Euractiv reported in June. On Wednesday, German media reported that Labor Minister Barbel Bas had submitted a draft bill, which proposes reducing benefits for Ukrainians, citing financial strain from the continued influx of migrants. In Poland, Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated in March that Poles were growing increasingly frustrated over 'hundreds of thousands, or maybe even over a million young Ukrainians driving the best cars around Europe and spending weekends in five-star hotels.'
