The SBI handed over to the Armed Forces of Ukraine almost 140 thousand rounds of ammunition seized during a search in a military store chain

The State Bureau of Investigations handed over almost 140 thousand rounds of ammunition to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, which were seized in the framework of the pre-trial investigation against the management of a network of military stores in Kyiv.

Based on the SBI investigation, the court allowed to seize the ammunition and transfer it to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It should be reminded that in July 2022, the SBI employees exposed the management of the stores on fraud with humanitarian aid for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. 

In April 2022, menioned entrepreneurs approached one of the capital's military units with a proposal to bring armor plates and protective helmets for them without charge. They promised to buy the equipment at their own expense abroad and transfer it to the military as humanitarian aid. To do this, the merchants asked to provide their enterprise with a certificate for the import of the relevant goods, which would allow to avoid customs formalities and payment of customs duties to the state budget.

After receiving the certificate, the offenders imported from Poland to Ukraine 1.5 thousand armor plates and 300 protective helmets. The declared value of the goods at that time was over UAH 800 thousand. According to preliminary estimates, the market value is about UAH 8 million.

Later, instead of handing over the goods to the military without payment, the entrepreneurs offered the command of the unit to conclude a contract of sale with them and to purchase the helmets and plates at market value. When the military refused, the entrepreneurs began to put pressure on them.

At the same time, the armor plates and helmets were put up for sale in their own stores.

The owner and the manager of the retail chain were served a notice of suspicion of selling goods (items) for profit, committed in a significant amount, by prior conspiracy, during martial law (Part 3 Art. 201-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Procedural guidance is provided by the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office.