Ukrainian investigators have opened a criminal case involving Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, a move likely to deepen a standoff in his ministry over arms procurement that could strain Kyiv’s ties with important Western allies.
In a statement, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine, NABU, said its investigation, requested by a corruption watchdog, would examine whether there had been an abuse of authority by Umerov but gave few other details.
Arogidigba Global Journal gathered that the watchdog, the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, has accused Umerov of acting illegally by sidelining the head of the Defence Procurement Agency, whose contract Umerov is refusing to renew after criticising the agency’s work.
Umerov said last week that the Defence Procurement Agency, DPA, which coordinates weapons purchases, had failed to deliver results for Ukrainian forces, comments that brought ministry infighting over arms procurement out into the open.
“Despite the publicized scale of procurement, our defenders on the frontlines have not experienced its tangible impact,” he wrote on Facebook.
The dispute is coming at a time in the war with Russia as President Donald Trump reviews U.S. support for Ukraine’s military and as Kyiv tries to convince its Western partners that it is winning the battle against endemic corruption.
Weapons supplied by Ukraine’s Western allies including tanks, rockets, missile defences and ammunition are vital to Kyiv’s war effort.
A statement on Monday said diplomats in Ukraine representing countries in the Group of Seven major democracies urged officials to resolve the dispute quickly.
It was gathered that Umerov’s appointment as defence minister in September 2023 followed months of corruption allegations against the ministry, and the DPA was charged with introducing more accountability in arms buying.