Ukraine deputy defense minister arrested in alleged corruption scheme
12 October 2017
Anti-corruption authorities in Ukraine announced on Oct.
11 they arrested Deputy Defense Minister Ihor Pavlovskiy and another defense
ministry official for their alleged involvement in a price gouging scheme of
fuel purchases. More than UAH 149 mln (USD 5.6 mln) is alleged to have been
stolen from the ministry as a result, according to the National Anti-Corruption
Bureau of Ukraine. Suspects at the company selling the fuel to the defense
ministry, including Andriy Adamovskiy, have fled Ukraine, reported the
ukranews.com news site, citing anonymous law enforcement sources. MP Oleksandr
Hranovskiy, alleged to be involved in the scheme by MP Serhiy Leshchenko,
denied any involvement.
Zenon Zawada: The National Anti-Corruption Bureau is continuing to target mid-level
officials and politicians in its efforts, which have borne more fruit than any
Ukrainian law enforcement body had achieved beforehand or since. We think it’s
possible a defense ministry official was targeted to satisfy demands from
Western institutions (including the IMF) for arrests and prosecutions of key
officials. Yet the anti-corruption bureau has demonstrated its independence and
was not necessarily swayed by Western demands. In either case, it’s a positive
step in what’s otherwise a large cesspool of ongoing corruption in the defense
industry, as exposed by the local media and activist politicians.
officials and politicians in its efforts, which have borne more fruit than any
Ukrainian law enforcement body had achieved beforehand or since. We think it’s
possible a defense ministry official was targeted to satisfy demands from
Western institutions (including the IMF) for arrests and prosecutions of key
officials. Yet the anti-corruption bureau has demonstrated its independence and
was not necessarily swayed by Western demands. In either case, it’s a positive
step in what’s otherwise a large cesspool of ongoing corruption in the defense
industry, as exposed by the local media and activist politicians.
