The Ukrainian security service announced that it had discovered corruption in the military leadership in the purchase of weapons worth about 40 million dollars.
The SBU announced that five high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Defense and one arms supplier were under investigation.
Defense officials are said to have signed a contract for 100.000 mortar shells in August 2022.
It was paid in advance, and part of the funds were transferred to accounts abroad, but the weapons were never delivered.
- "Panic and strife": Will Ukrainian President Zelensky dare to dismiss the military commander
- Ukraine declared war on another enemy - corruption
- The Americans gave Ukraine more than a million pieces of ammunition seized from Iran
- Are Serbian weapons reaching Ukraine - what do we know so far?
Corruption is a major stumbling block in Ukraine's bid to join the European Union.
The SBU said the investigation "exposed" officials of the Ministry of Defense and the management of arms supplier Lviv Arsenal, "who stole almost 1,5 billion hryvnias by buying grenades."
"According to the investigation, former and current high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defense and managers of related companies were involved in the embezzlement," the statement said.
The SBU said that despite the munitions contract being agreed six months after Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine, "not a single artillery shell has ever been sent".
One of the suspects was detained while trying to leave Ukraine, the SBU announced.
Ukraine's attorney general says the stolen funds have been confiscated and will be returned to the defense budget.
Deep corruption in society has been eroding Ukraine for years.
Issues surrounding corruption have plagued Ukraine for years.
When he came to power in 2019, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the fight against corruption would be one of his priorities.
The latest case of weapons corruption followed weeks after Kiev was left without additional aid from both America and the European Union.
In August last year, Zelenskiy fired all officials in charge of army recruitment to crack down on a widespread system of draft evasion.
- Escaping mobilization in Ukraine: Swimming dangerous rivers or fake medical exemptions
- The Ukrainian ambassador calls on Belgrade to help with weapons and ammunition
- Men who don't want to fight for Ukraine
In November 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin He said that "corruption like in Ukraine does not exist anywhere in the world".
As an example to support this claim, Putin cited the sale of weapons.
"We have a lot of problems in Russia. We in Russia, as well as the whole world, fight against corruption, but corruption in Ukraine - there is nothing like it in the world, take my word for it," said the Russian president.
He added that he had close contacts with former Ukrainian leaders and provided details.
"They buy everything: votes in the Supreme Court, votes in the Constitutional Court. They just shop. When we discussed some things, they told me: 'We will take care of everything, but it will cost so much and so much'.
"That's what the top officials told me. I was taken aback. I asked: 'Is that how you work here?' They answered me: 'Well, yes, that's how it is here,'" Putin shared the details.
As an example of corruption in Ukraine, the Russian president cited the sale of weapons.
"We are now hearing what many in the world are saying - weapons from Ukraine are appearing in the Middle East. Of course it is, because they sell it," he said.
He added that Ukraine sells weapons to the Taliban in Afghanistan and from there it spreads everywhere.
"Everything is for sale there," he described the situation in Ukraine.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter i Viber. If you have a topic proposal for us, contact us at bbcnasrpskom@bbc.co.uk
Bonus video:
