Latest news with #Zhumadilov
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Zhumadilov steps down as director of State Logistics Operator to head Defence Procurement Agency
Arsen Zhumadilov is stepping down as director general of the State Logistics Operator, the procurement agency of the Ministry of Defence, on 6 March. The Defence Ministry has appointed him as the director of the Defence Procurement Agency. Source: a statement from the State Logistics Operator on Telegram; Defence Procurement Agency on Facebook Quote: "As of today, Arsen Zhumadilov is leaving the post of Director General of the State Logistics Operator. CEO Andrii Sozanskyi will serve as acting director until a new director is chosen. This decision was supported by the Supervisory Board." Details: The State Logistics Operator team thanked Zhumadilov for his effective management, trust in the team, and the opportunity to learn. "Under his leadership, the State Logistics Operator not only launched, but has become an institution that has made qualitative changes in logistics," the statement said. The State Logistics Operator also noted that Andrii Sozanskyi, who will temporarily head the agency, has been part of the team since the agency's creation. Sozanskyi has significant experience in procurement and logistics and an in-depth understanding of the system and processes, and he shares the agency's values. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has appointed Zhumadilov as the director of the Defence Procurement Agency. Quote: "Today, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine appointed Arsen Zhumadilov as the director of the Defence Procurement Agency. The defence procurement system needs clear rules, swift decisions and efficient deliveries. The main priority is not merely signing contracts but ensuring that the Armed Forces are supplied with the weaponry they need on time and in the required volumes. The agency's task is to make the defence procurement system effective, predictable and resilient." For reference: Zhumadilov was appointed Head of the State Logistics Operator on 30 October 2023. In January 2025, Defence Minister Rustem Umierov announced that Zhumadilov would be appointed Director of the Defence Procurement Agency due to its decision not to extend its contract with former director Maryna Bezrukova. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arsen Zhumadilov officially appointed as new Defense Procurement Agency head
Ukraine's Defense Ministry officially appointed Arsen Zhumadilov as the new head of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA) on March 6, said the agency responsible for weapons purchases for the military. At the same time, Zhumadilov resigned as chief of the State Rear Operator (DOT), a sister agency overseeing the procurement of non-lethal supplies for the Armed Forces. Andrii Sozanskyi, DOT's executive director, replaced him as acting director. The defense procurement sector was reshaped in December 2023, aiming to meet NATO standards. The DPA, first established in August 2022, was to focus solely on lethal aid. Meanwhile, the DOT was formed to purchase non-lethal aid such as food and clothing. "The Defense Ministry should work more efficiently. There are very high expectations from everyone involved in the defense sector. Changes are objectively overdue and perhaps overripe. We all have no time to delay any longer," Zhumadilov said. The official appointment came more than a month after the scandal in procurement agencies. In late January, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov refused to extend the contract with the former DPA director Maryna Bezrukova for another year over supposedly poor performance, defying the DPA Supervisory Board's decision. According to Bezrukova, Umerov's move caused a "legal conflict" inside the organization, reportedly blocking its procurement functions. At the same time, the minister appointed Zhumadilov, who also runs the DOT, as interim director-general of the DPA. One of NATO and European partners' requirements for Ukraine was the establishment of two agencies that would be directly responsible for procurement for the Ukrainian Armed Forces, not through the Defense Ministry or contractors. According to Ukrainian law, supervisory boards can hire and fire the heads of state enterprises unilaterally. This means that legally, after the board's vote, Bezrukova should have taken over the DPA for another year. However, the Defense Ministry, which oversees the DPA, amended the agency's charter so the ministry can reverse the supervisory board's decisions. Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) is investigating possible abuses of power by Umerov. Read also: Trump's alignment with Russia derails Europe's push for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arms procurement chief Bezrukova dismissed, Defense Ministry says after disputes
Maryna Bezrukova, head of Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency (DPA), has been officially dismissed over "failure to meet delivery plans and other violations," the Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 31. Her firing follows a week of escalating tensions between the ministry and the DPA. Defense Minister Rustem Umerov suspended Bezrukova on Jan. 24, appointing Arsen Zhumadilov as temporary director, despite the agency's supervisory board voting to extend her contract days earlier. The Defense Ministry cited several reasons for her removal, including alleged failure to fulfill planned deliveries for the front, poor procurement planning and delays, lack of timely communication with the General Staff, and leaks of classified information, which are reportedly expected to be investigated. Hours before her firing, Bezrukova posted on Facebook that she asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to prevent the "destruction" of the agency. She warned that further disruptions would harm military supplies and erode donor and partner trust. Umerov's decision to fire Bezrukova sparked backlash, as Ukrainian law grants supervisory boards the sole authority to appoint or dismiss state enterprise heads. The Anti-Corruption Action Center (ANTAC) accused the Defense Ministry of a "hostile takeover," alleging it manipulated the state enterprise register to "legitimize" Zhumadilov's appointment. The Justice Ministry confirmed that Bezrukova was initially removed from the register as director on Jan. 25, with Zhumadilov listed as the new director. Her name was later restored, but with the designation of "suspended director," while Zhumadilov remained listed as "temporary director." On Jan. 27, G7 ambassadors urged a swift resolution, stressing the need to maintain uninterrupted arms procurement. The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) launched an investigation on Jan. 28 into potential abuse of power by Umerov. Read also: Ukraine's arms procurement chief asks Zelensky to 'stop the destruction' of the agency We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Stop the destruction of the agency' — Bezrukova asks Zelensky to intervene in arms procurement dispute
Maryna Bezrukova, the head of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA), asked President Volodymyr Zelensky to prevent the "destruction" of the agency, in a Facebook post on Jan. 31. Bezrukova and the Defense Ministry have been at loggerheads over the last week after Defense Minister Rustem Umerov suspended Bezrukova and appointed Arsen Zhumadilov as temporary director of the DPA on Jan. 24. His decision went against the agency's supervisory board that voted to extend Bezrukova's contract days earlier. Umerov sparked backlash with accusations that he was violating the law by overriding the supervisory board. According to Ukrainian law, supervisory boards have the authority to unilaterally hire and fire the heads of state enterprises."The essence of the problem is not just an attempt to dismiss me, but the actual destruction of the institution in violation of all possible laws and Ukraine's international obligations," Bezrukova wrote on Facebook. "Further delays threaten critically important supplies to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and destroy the trust of donors and partners," she added. Read also: Old guard pushback continues to haunt Ukraine's arms procurement cleanup Addressing Zelensky, Bezrukova said the agency had stopped work because of the dispute. She requested he intervene to resolve the conflict legally, prevent the agency's destruction, and ensure the DPA's stable operations without "pressure, blocks, and attacks.'On Jan. 25, Bezrukova's name disappeared from the state enterprise register as director of the agency. Instead, Zhumadilov, who heads the State Rear Operator (DOT), was listed as the director despite his appointment only being temporary while Bezrukova undergoes an audit. Now, Bezrukova's name has returned to the register but she is listed as the restricted director "suspended from performing official duties for the duration of the internal investigation," the Justice Ministry said on Jan. 31. Zhumadilov is listed in the register alongside Bezrukova as the "temporary director" while the audit is ongoing. The removal of Bezrukova from the register caught the eye of the Anti-Corruption Action Center (ANTAC), a watchdog. It believes the Defense Ministry was behind the amendment to "legitimize" Zhumadilov as the new director and subsequently cement the ministry's control of the agency."It's like a classic hostile takeover," Tetiana Shevchuk, a lawyer at ANTAC, previously told the Kyiv Independent."They just want to take over, take the governance and the management (of the agency) into their hands, and quickly do something."After the initial amendment was publicized by ANTAC on Jan. 27, Zhumadilov's position in the state registry was changed to "temporary director." It was changed a third time on Jan. 29 to again list Bezrukova as the director after she submitted the necessary documents to the DPA and Bezrukova stress that she is the lawful director of the agency and previously told the Kyiv Independent that she would not step down from her position. On Facebook, she said that the dispute does not benefit Ukraine. "We should not have any enemies except Russia," she added. On Jan. 27, ambassadors of the Group of Seven (G7) countries called for a swift resolution and urged uninterrupted continuation of weapons procurement. They also stressed the importance of adhering to governance Jan. 28, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) launched a criminal investigation into the potential abuse of power and office by Umerov. Read also: Defense Ministry must resolve procurement agencies issues by February, Deputy PM says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine's Defense Procurement Agency says Bezrukova is still director after her name disappeared from state register
Maryna Bezrukova has overturned the decision to remove her name from the state enterprise register as director of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA), the agency said on Jan. 30. The DPA once again emphasized that legally, Bezrukova remains the head of the agency as her contract was extended by the supervisory board, despite the Defense Ministry's attempt to override the decision. The question of Bezrukova's contract extension has grown into one of the biggest wartime scandals in Ukraine, with activists saying that the Defense Ministry's actions are underminig Ukraine's crucial defense procurement reform. On Jan. 24, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that he decided to suspend Bezrukova and appoint Arsen Zhumadilov, head of the State Rear Operator (DOT), as her replacement, overriding the DPA's supervisory board. DOT is another state agency tasked with providing non-lethal defense Jan. 25, Bezrukova's name was removed from a state register and replaced by Zhumadilov."Bezrukova has been the acting director of the Defense Procurement Agency since February 1, 2024. These powers have not been terminated," the agency wrote on Jan. 30, confirming that Bezrukova's name has returned to the register. The ministry only temporarily suspended Bezrukova while she undergoes an audit, following Umerov's allegations that the agency's results were poor. Therefore, the amendments to the register replacing her with Zhumadilov are unlawful, said Vitaliy Shabunin, co-founder of the Anti-Corruption Action Center (ANTAC).After the initial amendment was publicized by ANTAC on Jan. 27, Zhumadilov's position in the state registry was changed to "temporary director." It was changed a third time on Jan. 29, to again list Bezrukova as the director after she submitted the necessary documents to the officially it is not known who ordered the change, ANTAC believes it to be the Defense Ministry alongside the controversial Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak to 'legitimize' Zhumadilov as the new director and subsequently cement the ministry's control of the agency. 'It's like a classic hostile takeover,' Tetiana Shevchuk, a lawyer at ANTAC, told the Kyiv Independent. 'They just want to take over, take the governance and the management (of the agency) into their hands, and quickly do something.' Read also: Procurement for Ukrainian forces may be blocked due to legal conflict, Defense Procurement Agency's head says Shabunin noted that the private notary agent, Andriy Lihun, who signed the changes on Jan. 25 is a volunteer of the NGO "Union of TV and Film Industry Entrepreneurs," founded by Yermak, a former film producer. The latter may be the force behind the change, Shabunin said on to the DPA's vast budget, over $7 billion annually, Yermak likely wants to influence the agency, Shevchuk told the Kyiv Independent. The Kyiv Independent reached out to Yermak and the Defense Ministry but did not receive a response at the time of publication. Umerov's decision to override the DPA supervisory board's vote sparked accusations of unlawful behavior and calls for his removal. According to Ukrainian law, supervisory boards have the authority to unilaterally hire and fire the heads of state enterprises. Bezrukova previously told the Kyiv Independent that she intends to stay in her position. On Jan. 27, ambassadors of the Group of Seven (G7) countries called for a swift resolution and urged uninterrupted continuation of weapons procurement. They also stressed the importance of adhering to governance Jan. 28, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) launched a criminal investigation into the potential abuse of power and office by Umerov. Read also: Defense Ministry must resolve procurement agencies issues by February, Deputy PM says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
