High Anti-Corruption Court Sentences Former Deputy Director of Defense Enterprise to 9 Years in Prison

The Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) has reported that the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has sentenced a former first deputy director of a state defense enterprise to nine years of imprisonment. This verdict also includes the confiscation of all property owned by the convicted individual. Additionally, the court has deprived him of the right to hold positions in enterprises, organizations, and institutions of all forms of ownership related to the performance of administrative, economic, and organizational functions for a period of three years.

During the pre-trial investigation, it was established that from May 2013 to January 2015, the former official, abusing his official position, transferred funds from the enterprise amounting to €553,240 and over $1.93 million to another business entity registered abroad. This entity was under the control of an acquaintance of the convicted individual, a German citizen. The funds were transferred for the provision of agency services related to the sale of military goods abroad.

However, as the investigation revealed, the Ukrainian company did not receive any services from this foreign entity. As a result of these actions, the company incurred losses amounting to nearly 30 million hryvnias. In October 2014, acting in concert with his acquaintance, the official signed a contract with the same entity for the supply of two aviation systems for the factory and ensured the transfer of a prepayment of $472,000 by the state enterprise.

It was established that these funds were embezzled by individuals, and to conceal their criminal actions, an additional agreement to the contract was signed, confirming the impossibility of supplying the systems within the previously agreed timelines. To mask the crime, in February 2017, the first deputy director forged documents, indicating December 31, 2017, as the deadline for the delivery of the specified systems. These actions resulted in losses for the state enterprise exceeding 6 million hryvnias.

It is worth noting that since the individual is located in an occupied territory, the court proceedings against him were conducted in a special manner (in absentia), made possible by legislation governing such cases. As previously reported by Ukrinform, in March 2021, the former first deputy director of the Kharkiv State Aviation Production Enterprise, known as the Kharkiv Aviation Plant (HAZ), Ihor Suntsov, was declared wanted on suspicion of embezzling 30 million hryvnias.

This case underscores the importance of combating corruption in Ukraine, particularly in strategic sectors such as the defense industry. Relevant authorities continue to work on identifying and punishing corrupt crimes that harm the state and society. The public is encouraged to follow developments and support initiatives aimed at increasing transparency and accountability within government structures.