Employees of the Department of Information Analysis and Risk Management of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine discovered a risky business operation in the field of procurement of services by business entities that are managers of budget funds.

Analysts of the ESBU identified the risk of waste of funds by the State Agency, which concluded a contract for the procurement of state support services for the production of a feature-length film for a total amount of almost UAH 20 million. The winner of this procurement was the company whose founder and ultimate beneficial owner is a citizen of the Republic of Belarus.

The funds received as a result of the calculations could be transferred in the form of dividends or in another form to the Russian Federation and used to finance armed aggression against Ukraine.

ESBU recommended to the State Agency to terminate the procurement contract, if such was concluded and to strengthen control over the implementation of public procurements during martial law on the subject of their affiliation with the Russian Federation and the Republik of Belarus, as well as in the event of establishing such facts , make it impossible for them to participate in public procurement.

Taking into account the ESBU recommendation, the administrator of state funds canceled the negotiation procedure. According to the results of the information and analytical activity regarding countering the embezzlement of budget funds, the ESBU analysts predicted probable budget losses of almost UAH 20 million.

Analysts of the ESBU constantly investigate the financial and economic operations of business entities, the legality of declaring a budget VAT refund, analyze purchases, supply of goods and provision of services with state funds. Cases of overpricing, determination of winners with the least favorable conditions, impracticality of public procurement and other violations in this area are revealed.

"Over the past year, the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine prevented the embezzlement of more than UAH 270 million.

This is the result of a risk-oriented approach in our work. Its essence is the analysis of financial and economic operations, the legality of declaration of budgetary VAT reimbursement, purchases, etc. In case of neglect or violation, we investigate so that the guilty are brought to justice. This is how sustainable economic security is built," said the Director of the ESBU, Vadym Melnyk.