Army procurement: prosecutor's office reveals UAH 3.9 billion in losses
Since the beginning of 2026, established losses from violations during procurement for Ukraine's Defense Forces have reached UAH 3.9 billion. The state and territorial communities have already been reimbursed UAH 554.9 million.
About this reported Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko.
In total, in the main directions of abuse in the defense sector since the beginning of the year, 488 persons were notified of suspicion within the framework of 384 criminal proceedings. 530 indictments have already been sent to court. This applies to procurement for the army, illegal payments to servicemen, corruption in the mobilization process, and schemes for illegal crossing of the state border.
The largest volume of established damage relates to procurement for the needs of the Defense Forces. According to the Prosecutor General, the investigation recorded abuses, inflated prices, official negligence, and embezzlement in the acquisition of equipment, food, and services, as well as in the construction of protective structures.
In this direction, 59 criminal proceedings are being investigated, in which 132 persons were notified of suspicion. 86 indictments have been sent to court, of which 29 involve commanders of military units and heads of institutions.
More than UAH 251.6 million of established damage relates to illegal payments and misappropriation of financial support for servicemen. The largest part of this amount—UAH 174.6 million—are so‑called combat payments, which, according to the investigation, were accrued to persons who did not actually perform combat tasks.
In addition, UAH 22.8 million, as established by law enforcement, was paid based on forged documents, and another UAH 4.7 million the state lost due to official negligence. In this block, 117 proceedings are being investigated, 173 persons were notified of suspicion. 221 indictments have been sent to court, including 32 against commanders and heads of institutions.
A separate direction of the prosecutor's office work relates to corruption in TCCs (territorial recruitment centers) and military–medical commissions. Law enforcers investigate cases of arranging fictitious unfitness for military service, illegal deferments, and facilitation of evasion from service.
Since the beginning of the year in these cases, about UAH 23 million in improper benefit has been documented. According to Kravchenko, such “services” were paid not only with money: items of improper benefit also included cars and fuel coupons.
Within 126 criminal proceedings, 52 officials were notified of suspicion. 75 indictments have been sent to court, of which 13 involve heads of TCCs, recruitment centers, and military–medical commissions.
The prosecutor's office also specifies a separate block of cases related to the illegal transfer of persons across the state border. It includes organizers of channels, intermediaries, and officials whom the investigation suspects of participation in the relevant schemes.
The total documented amount of improper benefit in such cases exceeded UAH 35 million. In 82 criminal proceedings, 131 persons were notified of suspicion, and 148 indictments have been sent to court.
Another direction of the work of specialized prosecutors' offices is the return to the state of defense‑related land, property, and other assets. Since the beginning of the year, prosecutors filed 356 claims with a total value of UAH 44.9 billion.
The courts have already satisfied 187 of these claims worth UAH 36.3 billion. In addition, according to the Prosecutor General, court decisions have been enforced in respect of UAH 92.1 billion, taking into account the value of land and property returned to the state.
Kravchenko emphasized that violations in the defense sector affect not only public finances. Inflated procurement costs, undelivered equipment, or poorly performed work can directly reduce the resources available to the military.
At the same time, the given statistics relate to criminal proceedings, suspicions, and indictments. Notification of suspicion or sending a case to court does not imply proof of the guilt of a specific person until the guilty verdict enters into legal force.
