In Ukraine, the sale of 15 vehicles imported as aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine was uncovered

The company’s director was notified that he is suspected of illegally selling 15 vehicles that were imported into Ukraine under the guise of humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The total value of the vehicles exceeds 1.6 million hryvnias, according to the Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for Defense in the Eastern Region.

 

According to the investigation, in 2023, the suspect organized the import of vehicles from Poland using forged letters on behalf of a non-governmental organization that supplies units of the Armed Forces. At the border, the vehicles were declared as humanitarian aid for specific military units, but they never reached the military.

The drivers, who were unaware of the illegal scheme, delivered the vehicles to Ukraine free of charge, believing they were helping the military. Instead, the vehicles were transported to a lot in Kyiv and sold through a specialized online platform on behalf of the organization.

In total, according to the investigation, 15 vehicles were sold for over 1.6 million hryvnias. Specifically, in May 2023, a Range Rover and a Nissan Navara were sold for 10,000 euros; in June, a Mitsubishi Pajero was sold for 171,000 hryvnias; and in December, a Volkswagen Touareg was sold for 186,000 hryvnias. For the last two vehicles, the buyers transferred the funds directly to the suspect’s bank accounts.

The director’s actions were classified under Part 3 of Article 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine—the sale of humanitarian aid goods for the purpose of obtaining substantial profit during martial law. At the prosecutor’s request, the court imposed a preventive measure on the suspect—detention, with the alternative of bail set at 998,400 UAH.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor General

As a reminder, top customs officials were exposed for a scheme involving the trading of positions to evade mobilization.

Earlier, Svitlana Yukhta, head of the Customs Valuation Division of the State Customs Service’s Tariff Department, left for London and submitted her resignation effective October 1.

Mykhailo Svida, the former head of the Transcarpathian Customs Office, was not convicted of tax evasion. The Uzhhorod City and District Court acquitted him of criminal charges and closed the case after he paid over 7.4 million UAH to the state budget.