Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau is investigating Defence Minister Rustem Umerov for alleged abuse of power after he overruled a board decision on procurement.
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Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) has launched an investigation into Defence Minister Rustem Umerov's potential abuse of power and office, according to media reports.
The scandal erupted last week when the Defence Procurement Agency's (DPA) supervisory board voted unanimously to extend current director Maryna Bezrukova's appointment for another year.
However, Umerov overruled the board's decision last Friday, saying he would not renew Bezrukova's contract as head of the DPA.
He cited alleged unsatisfactory results and appointed Arsen Zhumadilov, who also manages the State Logistics Operator (DOT), a company in charge of purchasing supplies for the Ukrainian army, among other things.
The DPA was established to coordinate weapons purchases for Ukraine's outgunned military, with the aim to eliminate intermediaries and minimise the risk of corruption.
In a statement on Friday, Umerov said the agency had "inexplicably transformed into an 'Amazon'" and its purchases were too publicly visible. Ukraine has long sought to keep details of arms procurement confidential.
Umerov also dismissed two agency supervisory board members: Taras Chmut, the director of the "Come Back Alive" fund, and Yuriy Dzhyhyr, the former deputy defence minister.
Following Umerov's move, Ukraine’s Anti-Corruption Action Centre filed a complaint with NABU to open an investigation against the defence minister on suspicion of alleged abuse of power for refusing to comply with the DPA's decision.
Meanwhile, the situation at the Defence Ministry has attracted international attention.
In a joint statement, G7 ambassadors have called for a swift resolution to the matter, the implementation of governance reforms, and adherence to NATO principles.
According to Ukrainian law, supervisory boards can unilaterally hire and fire the heads of state enterprises. This means that legally, after the board's vote, Bezrukova should stay in her post at the DPA for another year.
Yet, due to amendments made recently to the agency's charter by the Defence Ministry, which oversees the DPA, the ministry has the power to reverse the supervisory board's decisions.