The suspension was allegedly related to a corruption scheme revealed by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on Jan. 27 that involved the procurement of almost 100,000 mortar shells, amounting to Hr 1.5 billion ($40 million).
Ukraine damaged at least three Russian military aircraft at the Belbek military airfield near Sevastopol in occupied Crimea, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat confirmed on Feb. 2. Ukraine attacked the airfield on Jan. 31, using Scalp/Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles, a military source told Ukrainska Pravda.
The case of embezzlement of almost 1.5 billion hryvnias ($39.6 million) for the purchase of shells for the Armed Forces of Ukraine involves the former head of the Department of Military Technical Policy, Oleksandr Liyev, news outlet Hromadske reported on Jan. 28, citing a source in law enforcement. He was indicted and detained on Jan. 27.
Ukraine s security service said on Saturday that it had exposed officials of the Ministry of Defense and managers of arms supplier Lviv Arsenal, who stole nearly £31.2 million in the purchase of shells.