Ukraine's Military Law Enforcement Service canceled on April 10 an order to draft Roman Nasirov, the former head of the State Fiscal Service who is accused of taking hefty bribes, days after he was mobilized.
The move came after Transparency International Ukraine reported on April 9 that Nasirov had been "voluntarily" mobilized into Ukraine's Armed Forces amid the court proceedings, with Nasirov's lawyer asking to suspend the case.
In 2023, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau concluded that Nasirov, during his tenure as the head of the service from 2015 to 2016, had received $5.5 million for granting Hr 540 million ($13 million) in fraudulent value-added tax (VAT) refunds to an agricultural holding company in 2015.
Later in 2016, he allegedly received another 21 million euros ($23 million) for granting Hr 2.7 billion ($65 million) in illegal VAT refunds.
Ukrainian businessman Oleh Bakhmatyuk, owner of the agricultural holding Ukrlandfarming, was arrested in absentia on March 7, 2023, on charges of allegedly giving bribes to Nasirov and his adviser.
The bribe was estimated at around Hr 722 million ($19.3 million) and was intended to secure VAT reimbursement for entities under Bakhmatyuk's control, according to Ukraine’s Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO).
Nasirov was first arrested in March 2017, when he was still in office at the tax service. He was then suspected of embezzling Hr 2 billion ($49.8 million) with the controversial businessman and lawmaker Oleksandr Onyshchenko.
Nasirov has denied all wrongdoing. In May last year, he was released from custody on bail of Hr 55 million (around $1.4 million).
"Zero tolerance for corruption is being established within the Armed Forces. Therefore, any steps aimed at discrediting the Ukrainian army will be dealt with severely," Ukraine's military said.
According to the statement, Nasirov was mobilized on April 7 at the order of the commander of the military unit A0139 of Ukraine's 101st Guard Brigade of General Staff, subordinated to the Main Command Center of Ukraine's Armed Forces.
Nasirov was supposed to join the army as a sapper, Ukrinform reported on April 9, citing an obtained document.
Soon after, the brigade commander labeled the order unlawful and canceled it. An internal investigation was launched on the grounds of possible abuse of power, the statement read.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
