Optics for the military with an overpayment of UAH 3.4 million

 In Poltava, a scheme involving the overstatement of the cost of optical equipment purchased for the needs of the Defense Forces of Ukraine was exposed. According to the investigation, during the procurement of monoculars, sights, and night vision devices, damages of over UAH 3.4 million were caused to the local community budget.

Detectives of the Territorial Office of the Economic Security Bureau of Ukraine in the Poltava region have notified four individuals of suspicion in criminal proceedings regarding the misappropriation of budget funds during military procurement.

The investigation established that in 2023, one of the departments of the city council purchased 165 units of optical equipment for the needs of the Defense Forces for an amount exceeding UAH 18 million.

Officials of the local government body, together with the former head of the supplier company, organized a scheme to artificially overstate the cost of the equipment. As a result of these actions, according to preliminary conclusions, damages of over UAH 3.4 million were caused to the local budget.

Furthermore, detectives established that one of the officials signed documents confirming the alleged receipt of the entire batch of equipment, which served as the basis for transferring the full amount of funds to the contractor. Meanwhile, a portion of the equipment—78 units of monoculars, sights, and night vision devices—had not actually been delivered at that moment.

According to the investigation, the former director of the supplier company subsequently cashed out the funds obtained as a result of the price overstatement and used them for personal needs.

Within the criminal proceedings, three officials of the local government body and the former head of the company were notified of suspicion. Their actions were qualified under Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364, and Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of official position with the purpose of obtaining any unlawful benefit for a legal entity, which caused severe consequences, and the compilation and issuance of knowingly false documents, committed by prior conspiracy by a group of persons). The former head is additionally accused of the legalization of property obtained through criminal means under Part 1 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The pretrial investigation is ongoing.

Operational support is provided by the Military Counterintelligence Department of the SSU and the Strategic Investigations Directorate in Poltava Oblast of the DSR of the National Police of Ukraine. Procedural guidance is provided by the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the field of defense of the Central Region.

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict of guilty.