In wake of scandal, Ukraine’s defense minister announces reboot of anti-corruption department

Oleksii Reznikov announced the information on Facebook.

The minister reported on the institution's efforts to prevent corruption. 

"First. We are rebooting the Anti-Corruption Department of the Ministry of Defense. We are looking for personnel. Second. We are forming a public anti-corruption mechanism and are open to cooperation," he wrote.

• The information that the Ministry of Defense purchases food for the military at prices significantly higher than in Kyiv retail chains was published on January 21 by Ukraine’s ZN.UA media, citing the defense ministry's food procurement agreement.

• Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense called the accusations of purchasing food for the army at inflated prices as having signs of deliberate manipulation. 

• At a meeting on January 24, Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers made a personnel decision to dismiss Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov, who had previously submitted his resignation.

• The court imposed a pre-trial restraint in the form of detention with the possibility of bail of over UAH 400 million on former Deputy Defense Minister Vyacheslav Shapovalov.

• Later, Ukraine’s Minister of Defense said that an anti-corruption council, which will include representatives of the public, will help to counteract bribery within the Ministry of Defense.

Read also: Reznikov's resignation: is it normal price to pay for other officials to learn lesson?