Ukraine's security service accuses senior officials of trying to steal about $40m in an order for mortar shells.

Ukraine’s security service says it has uncovered corruption in an arms purchase by the military worth about $40m (£31m).

The SBU said five senior people in the defence ministry and at an arms supplier were being investigated.

It said the defence officials signed a contract for 100,000 mortar shells in August 2022.

Payment was made in advance, with some funds transferred abroad, but no arms were ever provided.

Corruption has been a major stumbling block in Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union.

The SBU said an investigation had “exposed” officials of the ministry of defence and managers of arms supplier Lviv Arsenal, “who stole nearly 1.5 billion hryvnias in the purchase of shells”.

    • Rapidcreek@lemmy.worldEnglish
      45·
      10 months ago

      Ukraine is trying to become part of the EU. In order to do that, they need to show compliance with corruption laws.

      • Rednax@lemmy.worldEnglish
        16·
        10 months ago

        I think it also boosts morale. People will be very reluctant to support the war, if they see that most of their efforts, money, or lives are wasted on corruption.

      • SaganakiEnglish
        44·
        10 months ago

        All of those opposition parties banned have explicitly been in favor of Russia annexing Ukraine. Literally every one.

        Not only that, you make it sound like he did this by himself. There has been a ton of parliamentary agreement and has also been upheld in numerous appeals (incl by judges not having any associations with Zelensky).

        I’m by no means a “Zelensky-stan” and have my own criticisms, but either you are seriously being misled or are being malicious/spreading misinformation.

        Not only that, Ukraine runs a parliamentary government. There is no “opposition party”. Americans for some reason always view foreign government political parties through the lens of American politics. This is not like the government banning Republicans. This is like banning the “Socialists for the release of Alaska to Russia” party.

        • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.worldEnglish
          7·
          10 months ago

          All of those opposition parties banned have explicitly been in favor of Russia annexing Ukraine. Literally every one.

          That’s not true. One pro-russian co-founder of the biggest opposition party was expelled and they publicly condemned Putin’s invasion. Zelinski still banned the party.

          There has been a ton of parliamentary agreement

          Amongst his and other corrupt right wing parties glad to be unopposed

          upheld in numerous appeals (incl by judges not having any associations with Zelensky).

          This the same Ukrainian court system that was notorious for immense corruption up to and including the day before the invasion?

          I’m by no means a “Zelensky-stan”

          Then why are you repeating the untrue talking points of him and his government?

          You are seriously being misled or are being malicious/spreading misinformation.

          Nope, you’ve got that backwards.

          Ukraine runs a parliamentary government. There is no “opposition party”.

          There absolutely is. Just because there is a parliament doesn’t mean that it’s all one party or that there are no parties.

          Americans for some reason always view foreign government political parties through the lens of American politics.

          I’m a Dane. Here in Denmark we have a parliamentary government too. We ABSOLUTELY have opposition parties.

          This is not like the government banning Republicans.

          No, this is more like the UK Tories Banning Labour, the Lib Dems and all other parties to the left of them.

          This is like banning the “Socialists for the release of Alaska to Russia” party.

          Again with regurgitating the untrue government propaganda 🙄

          • SaganakiEnglish
            9·
            10 months ago

            That’s not true. One pro-russian co-founder of the biggest opposition party was expelled and they publicly condemned Putin’s invasion. Zelinski still banned the party.

            Okay. I’ll bite. Which party?

          • Amaltheamannen@lemmy.mlEnglish
            5·
            10 months ago

            Hilarious to think that Parliamentary democracies don’t have oppositions, the only difference is that it’s usually a coalition or several rather than a single party. You don’t deserve those downvotes, but Ukraine is apparantly beyond criticism.

        • Rodeo@lemmy.caEnglish
          3·
          10 months ago

          you make it sound like he did this by himself.

          He is the public face of the government. Of course he didn’t do everything by himself, good or bad. Everybody knows that already, it’s a stupid point to make. He’s chosen to take on the job of being his governments public face, and statements about government being directed at him personally is just part of the job.

          Trump wasn’t personally throwing children in jail, but when people talk about the border detentions that happened during his presidency, we still say Trump did it.

          Obama didn’t personally approve every drone strike, he was backed up by plenty of other politicians, but we still say Obama increased the drone strikes.

          • SaganakiEnglish
            8·
            10 months ago

            Yes, but the insinuation is that he’s using war powers to permanently institute himself in charge using only his powers, which isn’t the case. Effectively I’m countering the “he’s a dictator” undertone.

            • Rodeo@lemmy.caEnglish
              3·
              10 months ago

              I didn’t get that insinuation at all.

              Do you see the same insinuations with the statement “Obama increased drone strikes”?

              I’m sure you’d happily support the insinuation that trump was a dictator if something similar were said about him.

      • skozzii@lemmy.caEnglish
        26·
        10 months ago

        Zelensky used to be a comedian, which was his first instinct and was his desire. He wanted to make people laugh.

        These other politicians wanted power so they came into this life. to control people and gain power and influence.

        If there is ever a chance to clean out some of this corruption , Zelensky seems to be the guy to trust.

        • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.worldEnglish
          13·
          10 months ago

          Yeah, because pretending to play a piano with your dick means you can’t be corrupt and newcomers to politics aren’t at all vulnerable to corrupting influence from establishment figures teaching them how the system works 🙄

          The myth that an outsider with no experience in politics will automatically govern in less corrupt ways is just that: a myth.

          On the contrary, someone with no proven track record of honesty in public office is a huge gamble, especially given that the risk of taking the wrong advice previously mentioned.

          • Jode@midwest.socialEnglish
            18·
            10 months ago

            played piano with his dick Oof Alex Jones listener detected. I sure have noticed recently the right wing trolls must have just found lemmy.

            • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.worldEnglish
              9·
              10 months ago

              Yeah, because you can’t facetiously reference that very well known clip without having seen it on Infowars or whatever the current Alex Jones cesspool is called to avoid paying his victims 🙄

              I’m very much criticizing the center-right/right wing politician Zelinski from the LEFT, not the batshit insane right.

        • hark@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          10 months ago

          The guy who made a show where he becomes president clearly had no political ambitions.

    • Vilian@lemmy.caEnglish
      8·
      10 months ago

      wasn’t he trying to make corruption be treason? how that’s going?

      • nexusband@lemmy.worldEnglish
        60·
        10 months ago

        Neither is he the sole leader of Ukraine, nor is he a dictator or something the likes, Ukraine still has a parliament that needs to ratify such decisions.

    • Damage@feddit.itEnglish
      8·
      10 months ago

      Yeah but he got to president in Europe’s most corrupt government, we’re all rooting for him because of the war, but the chances of him being clean are slim.

      • NoneOfUrBusiness@kbin.social
        37·
        10 months ago

        I mean he got elected right after a revolution that took down the Russian-supported government so it’s probably safe to say corruption hadn’t caught up to him yet. His chances of being clean are the same as those of a politician anywhere else.

        • Damage@feddit.itEnglish
          4·
          10 months ago

          I was there the year before the war, I guarantee you that corruption was still there

          • deft@lemmy.wtfEnglish
            14·
            10 months ago

            this article is literally about corruption. yes it is still there are you blaming him for it?

          • NoneOfUrBusiness@kbin.social
            9·
            10 months ago

            No of course they still have corruption problems. I meant that they probably got to have at least one election that isn’t ruined by massive corruption. That tends to be the case after successful revolution (successful meaning not ruled by a dictator after) AFAIK.