Anastasia Radina, head of the Ukrainian parliament's anti-corruption committee, on Jan. 25 urged Defense Minister Rustem Umerov to resign after he fired Maryna Bezrukova, the head of the Defense Procurement Agency (DPA).
At the same time, the DPA and Bezrukova said that Umerov's decision was null and void, and she remains the legitimate head of the agency.
Umerov has been lambasted by pro-reform MPs and anti-corruption activists for what they see as his efforts to destroy the independence of the Defense Procurement Agency, which was created in 2022 to make defense procurement more transparent and crack down on corruption.
Anti-corruption watchdogs have also argued that Umerov's actions jeopardize Western military aid for Ukraine.
On Jan. 23, the DPA's supervisory board unanimously voted for extending its contract with Bezrukova for another year.
However, Umerov overruled the board's decision on Jan. 24, saying that he would not renew Bezrukova's contract as head of the DPA. He cited allegedly unsatisfactory results as the reason.
But the Defense Procurement Agency said in a statement on Jan. 25 that it continues to operate under Bezrukova's leadership despite Umerov's statements on her dismissal.
"The DPA continues to operate under Maryna Bezrukova's leadership, as only the supervisory board has the authority to extend or terminate the director's current contract. This is in line with both the Ukrainian law and the latest version of the agency's charter," the agency's statement read.
The agency said the planned appointment of a new agency head was a "direct manifestation of pressure" on the Supervisory Board and an attempt to destroy independent corporate governance.
"This is an unprecedented violation of all previous agreements between the Defense Ministry, civil society, and international partners," the statement read.
Radina, head of the parliament's anti-corruption committee and an MP from President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People party, said that Umerov "must submit his resignation" due to the scandal.
"The decision (by the board to extend Bezrukova's contract) turned out to be so independent that it outraged the defense minister," she said. "... I believe these actions undermine the defense procurement reform and represent direct interference in procurement processes. It doesn't matter who will be in the 'new supervisory board' or who will lead the agencies — the minister has clearly shown that these people can be dismissed at any moment with the stroke of a pen."
Radina accused Umerov of violating the law and failing to fulfill procurement contracts.
"The defense ministry of a country at war must be led by someone for whom legality, transparency, and accountability are not just empty words," she added.
According to Ukrainian law, supervisory boards have the authority to hire and fire the heads of state enterprises unilaterally. This means that legally, after the board's vote, Bezrukova should take over the Defense Procurement Agency for another year.
However, due to amendments recently made to the agency's charter by the Defense Ministry, which oversees the DPA, the ministry can reverse the supervisory board's decisions.
Anti-corruption activists and lawmakers say that the amendments and Umerov’s decision are “unlawful.”
Following Umerov's move, the Anti-Corruption Action Center filed a complaint with the country's National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) to open an investigation against Umerov on suspicion of alleged abuse of power.
Previously, Bezrukova announced that she would continue to fulfill her duties as head of the DPA. Bezrukova took over the agency in January 2024, and her contract expires at the end of January 2025.
Dominic Culverwell
(Updated: )
