Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday ordered an audit of the war-torn country’s large defense industry, after a sweeping corruption probe uncovered graft in the battered energy sector.
Though the investigation mostly concerned energy, it has also found fraud in contracts that provided for the protection of the grid, particularly vulnerable to relentless Russian bombardments.
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“A decision has also been prepared regarding a full review of state defense companies and relevant contracts,” Zelensky said on social media.
“All findings on revealed violations will be forwarded to law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies,” he added.
Meanwhile, two key suspects implicated in the $100 million kickback scheme, Timur Mindich and Oleksandr Tsukerman, were added to Ukraine’s wanted list, according to the interior ministry.
Both are believed to be at large.
Mindich co-owns the media production company Kvartal 95, founded by Zelensky, who was a star comedian before running for office. Ukrainian media previously reported that the two were friends.
An overhaul of the supervisory boards of defense companies was also under way, according to Zelensky.
This was in addition to an already ongoing scrutiny of the energy sector, announced last week as the corruption scandal started to unravel.
The Ukrainian president also said Kyiv was preparing for meetings with international financial institutions as it scrambles to secure funds amidst mounting Russian advances.
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Anti-graft investigators said around $100 million had been embezzled from the energy sector, causing outrage in a country where Russian attacks have resulted in devastating power outages.
Zelensky sacked two ministers over the corruption scheme and sanctioned Mindich and Tsukerman, who were named as its masterminds.
The scandal prompted some of Ukraine’s European allies to urge Zelensky’s government to do more to battle corruption.
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