Ukraine's Prosecutor General, Ruslan Kravchenko, announced on 9/1 that a private company signed five contracts totaling over 10 billion hryvnia (230 million USD) with the Department of Military-Technical Policy, the Defense Procurement Agency, and the Logistics Command of the Ministry of Defense. These contracts were for supplying the military with approximately 360,000 mines of various types.
Investigations revealed that most of the delivered mines lacked sufficient explosives or failed to meet technical standards. They often malfunctioned and, in some cases, even exploded in soldiers' hands. The company also failed to complete most of the orders despite receiving advance payments from the government.
According to Kravchenko, the Prosecutor General's Office initiated the investigation after receiving reports in late 2024. These reports detailed a severe shortage of mines in many frontline units and complaints about the ineffectiveness of the supplied mines.
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Anti-personnel mines used during a training session in Kyiv, Ukraine, 10/2025. Photo: AFP. |
The Prosecutor General's Office found convincing evidence that the suspects used shell companies, which lacked manufacturing experience, to supply mines to the military and embezzle the advance payments.
Instead of using state funds to establish high-quality mine production lines, the company's leadership appeared to have purchased equipment from third parties and then transferred it to other businesses. Kravchenko stated that authorities arrested four of the ten suspects involved.
The suspects are accused of causing the state losses of nearly 70 million USD. This includes 13.3 million USD for the faulty mines delivered and 56.4 million USD in advance payments. The name of the company and the types of mines supplied were not disclosed.
This is not the first scandal involving arms procurement contracts in Ukraine since the conflict began. In 2024, Ukraine's security service uncovered a group of officials who embezzled approximately 40 million USD through a "phantom contract" for the purchase of 100,000 mortar shells.
Pham Giang (According to Kyiv Post)
