Former Ukrainian Air Force logistics chief faces new corruption charges

A former high-ranking official in the Ukrainian Air Force logistics department is now facing additional corruption allegations following his arrest earlier this year. While the Chief Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine, led by Ruslan Kravchenko, has not publicly named the suspect, Ukrainian news agency RBC Ukraine identified him as Andrey Ukrainets, who held the position until February.

According to reports, Ukrainets was detained five months ago for allegedly attempting to bribe officials from the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The bribe was reportedly intended to halt an investigation into alleged embezzlement of funds allocated for the construction of aircraft protection structures at military airfields across the country. The Ukrainian government had earmarked approximately 1.4 billion hryvnia (about $38 million USD) for this project in May 2025, but a significant portion of these funds are said to have disappeared.

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The Kyiv government allocated 1.4 billion hryvnia (RM126.7 million) in May 2025 for the project. However, a significant portion of the funds reportedly disappeared.

Recent investigative findings revealed that the former commander illegally acquired more than 12 properties valued at over 20 million hryvnia (approximately $540,000 USD), a sum significantly exceeding his official income. Kravchenko stated that between 2020 and 2025, the ex-commander amassed three private houses in the Zhytomyr region, seven apartments in Kyiv, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, and Bukovel, along with several garages, non-residential premises, and six land plots. He also reportedly used four luxury cars, including Audi Q7 and Q5 models.

Investigators discovered that while the properties were registered under the names of his parents, son, and other relatives, this was a deliberate attempt to conceal his true ownership. The prosecutor's office maintains that these registrations were merely a facade to hide the illicit acquisition of assets.

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According to Kravchenko, between 2020 and 2025, the former commander acquired three private houses in the Zhytomyr region, seven apartments in Kyiv, Vinnitsia, Zhytomyr and Bukovel; several garages and other non-residential premises; as well as six plots of land.