Ukraine - January 2025

Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau opened a criminal investigation into Defense Minister Rustem Umerov on 28 January to determine whether the minister illegally abused his authority by rejecting the contract renewal of the head of the Defense Procurement Agency (AOZ) and replacing two supervisory board members. The dispute is the culmination of a year-long dispute between Umerov and AOZ over the speed and transparency of arms purchases and adherence to bureaucratic governance standards. While AOZ has struggled with corruption and failed arms purchases under successive directors, the Defense Ministry has also been the subject of public controversy for similar issues throughout the war, and there is little support for the legality of Umerov’s latest moves against AOZ leadership. The investigation signals a long conflict within the Ukrainian government between balancing efficiency in delivering necessary public goods while adhering to bureaucratic and legal standards and preventing corruption.  

Sources: Ukrainska Pravda, Kyiv Independent, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Reuters