Anna Kovalenko, the elected deputy of the Verkhovna Rada from the party of Vladimir Zelensky, “Servant of the People”, said that the state concern “Ukroboronprom” managed to replace only 60% of the import of Russian components and parts for military equipment.
“There are many corruption risks in the defense industry system. We must reduce them and restore confidence in enterprises. For example, abuses are possible when purchasing components from the Russian Federation. Today, Ukroboronprom resolved the issue of import substitution for 60% of parts; for the remaining 40%, they still have not found a replacement, ”the Left Bank publication quotes the deputy.
According to the parliamentarian, in order to eradicate such problems, Kiev needs to coordinate the work of special services and allocate funds to finance relevant programs in relevant institutions. Kovalenko added that in the arsenal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine still remains a large number of military equipment produced in Russia.
“Replacing it with Western models does not yet allow the state budget - it's expensive. We must in any way support the combat readiness of such weapons, ”the deputy explained.
According to Kovalenko, the most profitable way is import substitution, which is advisable in the case when there are a lot of types of weapons. However, if there are only a few samples of equipment, it is more profitable to resort to import from Russia, the deputy is sure. She noted that this primarily applies to military aircraft, mass-produced in Russia.
“For the second case, we need special services, because we have to get such details at any price. This process, so that there is no abuse, should be controlled by the state. If the special services are engaged in procurement, the process will be accountable, ”the parliamentarian said.
Gray import
However, an RT source at Ukroboronprom expressed the view that Vladimir Zelensky was not ready for compromise and, in the context of the situation, did not yet understand that the defense complexes of Russia and Ukraine had historically developed together.
“Some of the parts necessary for Ukrainian technology are still being produced at Russian enterprises and there is practically no alternative to them,” the source said.
“Therefore, some components could indeed be purchased illegally. Without them, Ukrainian technology will not be able to work. Where to find an alternative is the problem of the new head of Ukroboronprom. But judging by the mood surrounded by Zelensky, a decision will be made to completely abandon Russian components. There is nothing to replace them, so they will simply purchase finished equipment in the West. To do this, you do not need to be a brilliant leader. I think that American arms manufacturers are very happy, ”the source added.
In turn, a member of the Presidential Council on Interethnic Relations under the President of Russia, Bogdan Bezpalko, in conversation with RT suggested that the new Ukrainian authorities could create shadow schemes that would be used to purchase the necessary Russian spare parts, but through intermediaries, for example, Belarus or Moldova.
- At the Kiev armored plant
- globallookpress.com
- © Pavlo_bagmut / ZUMAPRESS.com
“This is a good corruption scheme that will make money. There is a possibility that certain spare parts will be searched for, but already in Eastern Europe, in particular in Poland, Bulgaria, Romania or Hungary, where stocks of spare parts and military equipment of the Soviet period remained and where production of this kind of equipment could be located. It is no secret that in Bulgaria, for example, Soviet-style weapons are massively stamped, which are purchased by the Americans and Saudis for Islamic groups in Syria, ”the expert said.
Bezpalko added that even those Ukrainian enterprises that have any significant autonomy are now not able to mass produce military products due to the fact that they are not purchased in sufficient quantities by Ukraine.
The interlocutor of RT did not rule out that against this background, Vladimir Zelensky could refuse to support the Ukrainian defense industry and make a choice in favor of the purchase of weapons abroad.
“For example, (procure. - RT ) Leopard tanks from Germany or outdated tanks from the USA or Sweden. Ukraine does not produce its aircraft, but it may refuse to repair its aircraft and purchase French Rafale fighters on credit. A country with a weak economy cannot afford either a strong defense industry, or, accordingly, greater autonomy in this matter, ”he stressed.
Commenting on the statement of Anna Kovalenko, the president of the Center for System Analysis and Forecasting Rostislav Ishchenko in a conversation with RT noted that out of 60% of the replaced parts, only some are manufactured in Ukraine, and the rest are purchased abroad.
“Today, Ukraine independently produces and sells those things that are in high demand in zones of military conflicts, such as small arms, for example, the Utes machine gun. Of course, she is not able to build an artillery system or fleet, but she can rivet something from the old one, ”the expert explained.
Polygraph audit and verification
In addition to attracting special services to the work of Ukroboronprom, the Ukrainian authorities also offer other methods of controlling the concern, which during the presidency of Petro Poroshenko was at the center of several corruption scandals. So, the deputy secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) of Ukraine Sergey Krivonos said that the existing problems in the company will be revealed by an audit, as well as by conducting a polygraph inspection of employees.
“My main task is to actually carry out the audit. Because the previous government did everything not to hold it. An audit will identify all economic problems, and the polygraph is the main thing, so that in the management of Ukroboronprom enterprises those people who were artificially put up by pro-Russian forces and artificially dumped our enterprises into the abyss from which it is now very difficult to get out, ”his edition quotes Ukrinform. "
Krivonos said that corruption in the concern was known even before journalistic publications, but the problem was hushed up. He added that personnel issues regarding the management of enterprises belonging to the concern are "already being resolved."
Note that at the end of April 2019 Krivonos said that Ukroboronprom would be liquidated and a new state body with expanded powers in the military-industrial complex would be created instead. Then he said that such a decision was supported by the NSDC.
However, in August, in a commentary to Ukrinform, he said that there were several options for reforming the Ukrainian state defense concern, and added that the issue was still under discussion.
A RT source in the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine noted that the new president of the country is now actively firing "Poroshenko people" from various enterprises.
“He thinks it’s enough to put his people in — and they can defeat corruption in the defense department. I would not be so optimistic. There are many different centers of influence around the president and it is possible that one of them will want to take control of defense orders. Zelensky is not a very experienced politician, and you can earn money on armament very well, ”said the expert.
- The building of the State Corporation "Ukroboronprom" in Kiev
- RIA News
Corruption story
The Ukroboronprom State Concern was established in 2010 and united 134 defense enterprises in its structure. However, since its inception, the concern has repeatedly been criticized for an opaque procurement system. So, the famous US government analytical center RAND Corporation in 2016 published a report according to which the procurement system of Ukroboronprom could be used for corruption abuse.
Subsequently, the Independent Anti-Corruption Defense Committee (NAKO), established in 2016 with the support of Transparency International, announced its refusal to cooperate with the concern. Then, NAKO noted the “lack of political will” on the part of the Petro Poroshenko administration to eradicate corruption in the defense sector.
According to representatives of the anti-corruption committee, it is impossible to ensure the transparency of defense orders without control by an independent supervisory board. Such a structure at the concern was created in early 2018, however, its work did not bring any significant results.
At the beginning of 2019, the Ukrainian media began to circulate the results of a journalistic investigation stating that Ukroboronprom had a corruption scheme in place whereby hundreds of millions of hryvnias were withdrawn from the defense budget of Ukraine. Journalists claimed that former President Petro Poroshenko, who until 2018 owned the Kuznitsa on Rybalsky shipbuilding company, could have been involved in it.
Now Ukroboronprom is in crisis, and for it to exist and develop, it needs a lot of related connections and a lot of investments, Bogdan Bezpalko explained in a conversation with RT.
“The concern does not have either one or the other. Russia could order a lot of high-tech products at Ukrainian defense industry enterprises, for example, engines for helicopters, boats or warships. But since Russian orders have completely disappeared and the West is not ordering anything, Ukrainian enterprises are starting to die, and the quality of military products is declining. This indicates a crisis and the extinction of this military-industrial complex, which was once very powerful. "Antonov" and "Izhmash" are now dying, and the Chinese bought Motor Sich. Most likely, Ukraine will turn into a country that will import weapons, with the exception of small arms, ”Bezpalko said.
In turn, Rostislav Ishchenko expressed the opinion that under Zelensky, the Ukroboronprom concern will perform the same functions as under the administration of Petro Poroshenko.
“Ukraine still has stockpiles of Soviet weapons. Of course, there are fewer than before, but enough to make up the fortune. "Ukroboronprom", which Zelensky, like his predecessors, can use for personal enrichment, is intended for the arms trade abroad, and not for arming the Ukrainian army, ”the expert concluded.
At the same time, the RT source in the Radical Party believes that the new president of Ukraine “by his thoughtless decision” can stop the work of defense plants.
“Poroshenko’s entourage claimed that in the defense sector they were able to completely abandon Russian-made components. But in reality this is not so, and many parts were purchased illegally. Of course, one can dream that the production of analogues will be established at Ukrainian enterprises. But these are only dreams, since in Ukraine there are neither resources nor specialists for the implementation of such plans. Therefore, in the near future, Kiev may even be left without military equipment. But it will be possible to proudly say that Ukraine is finally independent of Russia. But who is worse off from this? ”- said the representative of the party.