Ukraine Accuses Ex-MP of $10 mn Army Uniform Corruption Scheme

Ukrainian prosecutors alleged Thursday, Nov. 28, that a former lawmaker embezzled more than $10 million in an army uniform corruption scheme.

The government in Kyiv, which has been plagued by corruption since the fall of the Soviet Union, is facing a new raft of graft scandals amid a surge of spending on its military as it fights Russia's invasion.

The Prosecutor General's office said it had uncovered "a scheme to embezzle more than $10 million for the purchase of military uniforms for the Armed Forces of Ukraine".

It accused a former MP and advisor to the country's deputy defence ministry of orchestrating the scheme in 2022, along with his son and a foreign citizen.

It said the group brokered a contract to produce $25.6 million worth of army uniforms at an inflated price of more than $35 million, agreeing to divide the extra $10 million between them.

The ex-MP and his son were served a notice of suspicion of "misappropriation of property by deception on a large scale".

Prosecutors did not identify the accused by name, nor say if any had been taken into custody.

But Ukraine media reports, citing anonymous sources and based on the information provided by officials, said it was former MP Igor Franchuk and his son.

Ukraine has pledged to crack down on corruption as part of its bid to join the European Union, but for some officials, Russia's invasion has provided new opportunities to enrich themselves.

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