The NABU and the SAPO, together with the SSU, exposed a corruption scheme to embezzle defense funds intended for the protection of Ukrainian armored vehicles. The amount of damage exceeds UAH 102 million. 

According to the investigation, in April 2022, after the start of the full-scale invasion, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract with a state-owned enterprise for the urgent procurement of reactive armor elements for the Ukrainian Armed Forces tanks.

The then-director general of the state enterprise, intending to embezzle budget funds, involved the commercial director of the enterprise and the director of a private company in the scheme. A contract was signed between the state enterprise and the private company, under which covers and containers for reactive armor were procured at prices nearly three times higher than market value.

To give the scheme the appearance of a legitimate deal, the director of the private company arranged the procurement of products through a series of fictitious enterprises. The excess profit (“margin”) was transferred to controlled accounts and subsequently laundered.

Suspicions have been served to three members of the organized group:

• the former director general of the state enterprise, allegedly Leonid Shyman;
• the commercial director of the state enterprise;
• the director of a private company. 

The organizer of the scheme is already a defendant in a number of other criminal cases brought by  the NABU and the SAPO, including one concerning damage caused to the Pavlohrad Chemical Plant.