Ukraine Arrests Four Officials in Large-Scale Drone Bribery Probe

Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies have uncovered a large-scale bribery scheme involving inflated military procurement contracts for drones and electronic warfare systems, resulting in the arrest of four individuals, including a sitting MP from President Zelenskyy's Servant of the People party, local officials, and National Guard personnel. The scheme involved inflating contract prices and distributing kickbacks of up to 30% to various political, regional, and military figures. This probe emerged shortly after Ukraine's parliament reversed Zelenskyy's controversial move to curtail the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), following mass protests and pressure from Western allies. Zelenskyy condemned the corrupt actions as immoral and damaging, pledging full accountability and expressing support for the anti-corruption agencies. The case highlights ongoing challenges in Ukraine’s efforts to maintain transparency and combat corruption amid the ongoing war with Russia, where drones play a critical role in military operations. The implicated National Guard personnel have been removed from their posts, and the MP involved has been suspended from his party pending investigation.