Kyiv [Ukraine], August 3: Four arrests have been made in Ukraine following the discovery of a new bribery scandal involving drone manufacturers' contracts that were reportedly signed at significantly inflated prices, harming the country's finances.
The controversy comes days after President Volodymyr Zelensky reversed course on a high-profile bill concerning the independence of the country's anti-corruption office.
Authorities in Kiev reported the arrests on Saturday and said that one suspect is Oleksii Kuznetsov, a member of parliament from Zelensky's party, Servant of the People.
The party said Kuznetsov's membership has been suspended for the duration of the investigation.
The accusations from anti-corruption campaigners also target civil servants at the municipal level and members of the National Guard.
Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko announced that the uniformed personnel involved have also been suspended from duty. The suspects are alleged to have signed contracts for the purchase of drones at inflated prices and then pocketed 30% in bribes.
The anti-corruption campaigners also released photos of bundles of cash. However, no information has yet been provided on the total financial damage to the state budget.
Corruption scandals in arms deals have repeatedly surfaced in Ukraine, which has been defending itself against a full-scale Russian invasion for over three years.
Zelensky reverses course on anti-corruption office Zelensky has been briefed on the investigations.
In his pursuit of EU membership for Ukraine, he has repeatedly promised Brussels a categorical fight against corruption.
"There can only be zero tolerance for corruption, clear teamwork to expose bribery, and ultimately a fair verdict," he stated on his Telegram channel.
"It is important that anti-corruption campaigners work independently."
He added that a law passed on Thursday provides all the necessary opportunities for this.
Previously, however, Zelensky had done the opposite by passing a law that placed the independent National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP) under the authority of the Prosecutor General's Office.
Following protests by thousands in several cities and heavy criticism from the European Union, he reversed course and had a new law passed in parliament on Thursday to restore the independence of the anti-corruption agencies.
The EU has repeatedly demanded that Ukraine implement reforms as part of its bid for membership in the bloc.
The country continues to struggle with corruption, prompting concern that Western funds for its defence against Russia could be misused.
In the current Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, Ukraine ranks 105th out of 180 countries.
Source: Qatar Tribune