The court has removed the electronic bracelet from former MP Maksym Mykytas in the case regarding the theft of over 312 million hryvnias from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
One of the most high-profile criminal proceedings in the field of public procurement and the defense sector in recent times has reached a new stage of development. The former People's Deputy Maksym Mykytas, who is involved in the case of large-scale abuse of Ministry of Defense funds, has been unblocked from the monitoring system through an electronic bracelet, and the relevant court order has canceled this protective measure. This was reported by Olga Postolyuk, a representative of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, in a comment to "Ukrainian Pravda." According to the spokeswoman, the decision to remove the bracelet was made considering that the former deputy has identified himself as a reliable and responsible participant in the pre-trial investigation process for over a year and a half. She emphasized that, regardless of this, law enforcement officials reserve the right to petition the court for the re-application of preventive measures if new risks or threats to the investigation or other case participants arise. Sources within anti-corruption agencies recall that in August 2024, investigators and prosecutors completed the pre-trial investigation into Mykytas, his assistant, and several high-ranking military officials. The case involves more than 312 million hryvnias obtained illegally from the state budget through so-called schemes involving controlled companies. During the investigation, it was established that starting from 2018, particularly significant contracts were concluded between the Ministry of Defense and several companies controlled by Mykytas. These contracts related to the construction of fortified warehouses for the storage of missile and artillery ammunition, with completion scheduled for 2021. The total value of these contracts reached approximately three billion hryvnias, making them some of the largest in this sector in the country. However, during the implementation of these contracts, it was revealed that a group of high-ranking officials, including Mykytas, attempted to unlawfully seize a substantial part of these funds. They involved military personnel and managed to influence the adoption of amendments to Ukrainian government resolutions aimed at avoiding restrictions related to advance payments. According to obtained data, in 2018, amendments were made to existing resolutions allowing an advance payment of up to 80% of the contract value, while law limited this figure to 30%. This created open opportunities for abuses, and it was through these changes and the signing of additional agreements with contractors for construction that the offenders ensured the transfer of over 312 million hryvnias from the state budget to accounts controlled by these companies. However, the investigation found that the construction work was never actually initiated, and the transferred funds were legalized through rerouting to other controlled structures. Subsequently, after thorough verification, investigators established that these financial transactions are evidence of a large-scale corruption scheme aimed at embezzling state funds during defense procurement. Instead of constructing warehouses necessary for the country's security, the funds were effectively laundered or used for other purposes, or simply disappeared from the companies' balance sheets. At the same time, the court ruled positively on lifting the electronic bracelet, which served as a preventive measure for the former deputy. This decision was made considering the positive dynamics of the investigation, sufficient guarantees of Mykytas’s compliance with procedural obligations, and the fact that he surrendered a foreign passport to avoid the possibility of fleeing from justice. Of course, during the investigation and law enforcement activities, the Prosecutor's Office and relevant agencies do not rule out the possibility of re-initiating measures if new risks or facts of evasion are discovered. In such cases, they will again petition the court to re-apply preventive measures, such as electronic monitoring or other restrictions for the former MP. Overall, the story involving Mykytas and the case of defense funds embezzlement has become one of the most prominent and high-profile in the fight against corruption at the highest levels of government and military structures. It sparks broad public discussion about transparency in the spending of state defense funds and demonstrates how complex and simultaneously vital the process of establishing justice in the criminal sphere is, especially when national security issues are a priority.