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Ukraine Defense Ministry uncovers potential misuse of humanitarian aid worth $ 4.1 million

Joint internal audits by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry and State Customs Service have exposed a critical gap in the humanitarian aid supply chain. Over 400 vehicles and hundreds of tons of goods cleared customs but cannot be accounted for by military units, raising questions about the integrity of aid distribution.
byVira Kravchuk
26/08/2024
2 minute read
"White Angels" unit delivers humanitarian aid to local residents of Donetsk Oblast in May 2023.
“White Angels” unit delivers humanitarian aid to local residents of Donetsk Oblast in May 2023. Credit: Ukraine’s National Police
Ukraine Defense Ministry uncovers potential misuse of humanitarian aid worth $ 4.1 million

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense reported that it has detected potential illegal use of humanitarian aid worth 171 million hryvnias ($4,1 million) intended for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Since the Euromaidan protests in 2014, Ukraine has made progress in fighting corruption in the country by establishing new anti-corruption institutions such as the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC). Antі-corruption measures are also essential for Ukraine’s aspirations to join the European Union. 

According to the Ministry of Defense, joint internal audits with the State Customs Service conducted from March to July 2024 revealed discrepancies in the reported and received humanitarian assistance, valued at approximately 171.78 million hryvnias ($4,1 million).

The State Customs Service reported that the following items passed through customs for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine:

  • 424 vehicles
  • 476.23 tons of various unvalued goods
  • 6.2 tons of food products and plastic granules 

 However, the defense ministry was unable to confirm the receipt of these items by military units, raising concerns about their whereabouts and usage.

In response to these findings, the Ministry of Defense alerted law enforcement agencies to investigate possible illegal enrichment, misappropriation of property, and abuse of office by certain officials. The ministry emphasized the importance of ensuring that all donated items reach frontline defenders as intended.

Earlier, the Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security debunked several myths about corruption in Ukraine that are often propagated by Russian disinformation to undermine Ukraine’s credibility. These myths included claims that Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, that all levels of Ukrainian governance are thoroughly corrupt, and that Western aid to Ukraine is primarily stolen.

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