The Security Service of Ukraine reports the arrest of former Antonov general director Serhiy Bychkov and head of the aviation security unit Oleksandr Netesov in the Mriya destruction case, while former deputy general director Mikhail Kharchenko has been put on the wanted list.
In a telegraph channel on Friday, the Ukrainian security service said it had gathered a solid evidence base on the former Antonov general director, his deputy and the head of the aviation security unit.
“According to the materials of the investigation, on the eve of a full-scale invasion, the officials did not allow members of the National Guard of Ukraine to enter the territory of the Gostomel airport to prepare for its protection. Such criminal actions led to the temporary seizure of a strategically important airfield, surrounding settlements and the destruction of the AN-225 Mriya aircraft,” the report stresses.
The SBU claims that during January-February 2022, officials explicitly prohibited the Ukrainian military to erect defensive fortifications and fortifications at the airfield, for this purpose an order was given to block the access of the National Guard fighters to the territory of the facility.
Based on the collected evidence, investigators of the Main Investigative Directorate of the SBU reported all three defendants on suspicion under Part 2 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (obstruction of the legitimate activities of the AFU and other military formations in a special period, resulting in the death of people and other grave consequences).
“Two persons involved in the proceedings were selected a measure of restraint in the form of detention. Comprehensive measures are taken to bring to justice the former deputy director general of the SE “Antonov”, who is now hiding from justice. He is wanted,” the SBU informs.
“We are conducting an objective investigation of this case. Those who actually helped the enemy to destroy one of the symbols of Ukraine should suffer the deserved punishment. And the SBU will do everything necessary for this. And our state will definitely build a new plane, because the Mriya, just like Ukraine, cannot be destroyed,” the head of SBU Vasyl Malyuk said in the message of the special service.
As a law enforcement source clarified to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, Kharchenko, a wanted former deputy director of Antonov, is probably now in Crimea.
Deputy Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure has been unmasked for taking $400,000 bribe, at the moment the issue of his suspicion is being solved, the press service of the SAPU reports.
“On January 21, 2023, with the procedural guidance of the ACP prosecutors, NABU detectives exposed the deputy minister of development of communities, territories and infrastructure of Ukraine and other members of an organized criminal group for receiving $400 thousand in improper benefit for assistance in the conclusion of contracts for the purchase of equipment and machinery,” – said in the message.
It specifies that the preliminary legal qualification of the detainee’s actions is part. 4 of Art. 368, part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
“At the moment the persons are detained in accordance with article 208 of the CPC of Ukraine. The question of reporting on suspicion and, accordingly, the choice of preventive measures”, – emphasize in the prosecutor’s office.
They note that in the summer of 2022, the Cabinet allocated 1.68 billion UAH to restore the critical infrastructure and ensure the population in the winter period of light, heat and water supply. However, the investigation revealed that a number of officials of the central and regional executive authorities decided to embezzle part of the state funds.
“Thus, in collusion with others, the officials ensured the conclusion of procurement contracts at inflated costs with predetermined business entities. At the same time, entrepreneurs were supposed to pay officials for “winning” tenders 280 million UAH, which was the difference between the actual and the purchase price of services,” law enforcement officials say.
They specify that during the search in the office of entrepreneurs there were found and withdrawn 920 thousand UAH and $38,7 thousand.
“Disclosure of the criminal organization, which included the Deputy Minister, was due to operational penetration of detectives in the organized criminal group. Investigative actions continue, all persons involved in the commission of this crime are established,” – summed up in the SAP.
As reported, on January 21, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine carried out searches and detained Deputy Minister of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Vasyl Lozinsky for embezzlement of budgetary funds. The detainee will be dismissed from his post, the Ministry of Development of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine said.
Employees of the National Police of Ukraine detained four foreign citizens in Odesa involved in the shooting in Kyiv on May 26, as a result of which a man was injured, the press service of the police said. According to law enforcement authorities, the victim turned out to be a citizen of Montenegro, who is placed on the international wanted list and is one of the leaders and organizer of the drug cartel, which supplies drugs in most European countries.
“The main version of the attempted murder was the criminal activity of the victim, a possible redistribution of spheres of influence in the organization itself, as well as between the Balkan criminal clans that control drug trafficking,” said Ihor Klymenko, the head of the National Police of Ukraine.
