20,000 people chose to be part of the Kyiv Independent community — thank you.

Skip to content
Edit post

DBR: Son of businessman implicated in defense corruption scandal declared wanted

by Martin Fornusek and The Kyiv Independent news desk January 18, 2024 7:54 PM 2 min read
(L) Ihor Hrynkevych, his children Olga and Roman, and his wife (R) Svitlana pose for a picture in vyshyvankas, Ukraine’s national embroidered shirts. (Facebook page of journalist Yevhen Plinskiy)
This audio is created with AI assistance

The son of a Lviv businessman implicated in a defense procurement corruption scandal has been declared wanted, said Tetiana Sapian, a communications advisor of the State Bureau of Investigation, on air on Jan. 18.

Although Sapian did not name the person in question, she said this in response to a query about Roman Hrynkevych, the son of businessman Ihor Hrynkevych, who is currently in detention and investigated for a large-scale corruption scheme.

Ukrainska Pravda also reported, citing law enforcement sources, that the announcement concerns Hrynkevych's son, Roman. The Kyiv Independent reached out to the bureau for comment but has not received a response at the time of this publication.

Sapian said that the businessman's son is part of a criminal group suspected of causing the state a loss of Hr 1 billion ($26.5 million) in a military clothes procurement scheme. While other members of the group were informed of suspicion and detained on Jan. 17, Roman Hrynkevych is reportedly still in hiding.

"Yesterday, searches were conducted to find and detain members of a criminal group, including a relative of a Lviv businessman," Sapian said on air.

"Unfortunately, he has not yet been found, but the suspicion of fraud and participation in a criminal group has been announced to him in accordance with the procedure established by law."

Ihor Hrynkevych used to be one of the leading suppliers for the Defense Ministry, winning 23 tenders with his companies. According to authorities, he failed to complete the contracts and caused the ministry financial damage of Hr 1.2 billion ($31.6 million).

The goods Hrynkevych's companies supplied were allegedly of low quality and inappropriate for the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use. He faces up to eight years in prison if convicted.

Ihor Hrynkevych was arrested on Dec. 30, 2023, while allegedly attempting to bribe a top official in the bureau in exchange for the return of his property confiscated during criminal proceedings.

The Defense Ministry announced on Jan. 17 that it had terminated the last contract with the businessman's companies.

Since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion, Ukraine's Defense Ministry has been involved in several corruption scandals.

The two most notorious scandals, one regarding inflated prices for food supplies and the other connected to low-quality winter jackets, prompted the dismissal of former Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov.

Ukraine Business Roundup — January 16
The following is the Jan. 16, 2024 edition of our Ukraine Business Roundup weekly newsletter. To get the biggest news in business and tech from Ukraine directly in your inbox, subscribe here. Davos The world’s governments and major international organizations are meeting in the Swiss town of Davo…

Independent journalism needs a community —
not a paywall.

We’re working hard to show the world the truth of Russia’s brutal war — and we’re keeping it free for everyone, because reliable information should be available to all.

More than 20,000 people chose to stand behind us. We’re deeply grateful and overwhelmed with your support. Thank you for making it possible.

Let´s see how far we can go?

News Feed

8:42 PM

Egyptian POW didn't need money, but went to fight for Russia.

Egyptian-born Russian fighter, callsign "Cobra," signed a contract with the Russian army in 2024, abandoning his young wife, university studies and comfortable lifestyle. Now in Ukrainian prison, he's rethinking his choices. Subscribe to our channel for more independent reporting from Ukraine.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.