A spat between Ukraine’s protection minister and the arms procurement company head reportedly dangers “paralyzing” the nation’s weapons purchases
A dispute between Ukrainian Protection Minister Rustem Umerov and the navy procurement company (DPA) chief, Marina Bezrukova, has provoked “unease” amongst Kiev’s Western backers, the Washington Submit reported on Saturday. The spat allegedly dangers “paralyzing” Western arms purchases by Kiev.
Umerov has just lately taken subject with what he described as Bezrukova’s “unsatisfactory” job efficiency and sought to override a call by the DPA supervisory board to increase her contract. His actions drew the ire of the US- and EU-funded Anti-Corruption Motion Heart (AntAC), which mentioned on Monday it had filed a criticism towards the minister with Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities, which reportedly opened a case towards him. Umerov is accused of “abuse of energy or official place,” based on AntAC.
Established in 2022 according to NATO requirements, the DPA was imagined to be impartial of the Ukrainian navy and was supposed to remove conflicts of curiosity and maximize transparency within the procurement course of. Bezrukova refused to step down and accused the protection minister of “deliberate destruction of an establishment in violation of all attainable legal guidelines and Ukraine’s worldwide commitments” in a letter to Vladimir Zelensky, based on the Submit.
Kiev’s Western backers that “labored extra intently with the procurement company” don’t perceive who’s in cost now and are “uneasy,” the US outlet mentioned. The G7 – a gaggle of developed, primarily Western economies, together with Ukraine’s largest navy support donors – referred to as on Kiev on Monday to resolve the scenario “expeditiously and concentrate on protecting protection procurement going.”
“Consistency with good governance ideas and NATO suggestions is vital to keep up the belief of the general public and worldwide companions,” it mentioned in a press release on X. The Submit reported Ukraine’s EU backers seen the DPA as a “dependable companion” and deliberate to supply it with $1 billion this 12 months alone. The company would then select how you can spend the cash on new weapons.
The US newspaper described the company as having a “clear document” and mentioned that there was “no proof” its head was concerned in any corruption schemes. The report got here only a day after a retired Ukrainian common, Sergey Krivonos, instructed a Ukrainian YouTube channel that the DPA spent some €200 million ($207 million) on lots of of hundreds of WWII-era anti-tank mines that could possibly be largely defunct by now. Some earlier media reviews additionally talked about this buy, citing an official request filed by Bezrukova final month.
Umerov was appointed by Zelensky in 2023 after his predecessor needed to step down amid plenty of corruption scandals. He has accused the DPA of partaking in “political video games, leaks of contracts, and leaks of knowledge.”
A European diplomat instructed the paper that “an important subject” for Kiev’s Western backers was to ascertain establishments just like the DPA and preserve them as a result of the West must “begin from scratch” if they’re dismantled. For now, the company stays “paralyzed” and is already not on time in terms of arms purchases for January and February, the Submit reported.
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