(MENAFN) Several high-ranking Ukrainian officials have been arrested over their alleged involvement in a large-scale bribery scheme tied to military contracts, according to Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies. The scandal comes shortly after President Vladimir Zelensky dropped efforts to curb the independence of the country’s anti-graft institutions.

On Saturday, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) announced that the officials are suspected of taking kickbacks of up to 30% from defense procurement contracts related to drones and electronic warfare systems for the Ukrainian armed forces.

Ukrainian media named three of the four suspects as Aleksey Kuznetsov, a lawmaker from Zelensky’s Servant of the People party; former Lugansk regional governor Sergey Gayday; and Andrey Yurchenko, the head of Rubezhansky district.

Between 2024 and 2025, the group allegedly orchestrated a scheme to embezzle defense funds allocated by local governments. One contract for electronic warfare systems was reportedly awarded at an inflated price, with the group receiving illegal payments totaling 30% of the contract's value.

Another contract, involving FPV drones valued at around $240,000, was allegedly overpriced by $80,000. Investigators said company officials funneled a portion of the excess funds back to the corrupt group as kickbacks.

In response, President Zelensky described the case as “absolutely immoral” and praised NABU and SAPO for their investigation. Just two weeks earlier, Zelensky had moved to place the two agencies under tighter government control but reversed course and signed a law preserving their independence following public backlash.

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