The minister deflects a blow from the head of the OPU and claims that the decision to appoint Denys Sharpov is his own.
Minister of Defense Aleksii Reznikov told how Ukraine will purchase Western weapons. For this purpose, according to the minister, agencies similar to NATO's logistics structure – NSPA will be created.
One of these organizations will be the Defense Procurement Agency, which will deal with arms procurement. The second, whose name Reznikov did not name, will purchase ammunition, fuel, food, solve logistics issues, etc., according to transparent Western standards.
In a comment to Lb.ua, Reznikov also told what Denis Sharapov will be doing at the Agency. Some media, not without reason, associate the profile deputy minister of defense with the head of the OPU Andriy Yermak and the Russian special services.
The minister claims that the appointment of Sharapov does not create any corruption risks, and the decision to call Sharapova's decision to work at the MoU was his personal choice, due to the lack of specialists in arms procurement in the ministry.
“The creation of the “Defense Procurement Agency” is a response to the gray schemes of various special exporters, who swindled commissions, bonuses and other things, because the arms market is very complex. It is my responsibility as a minister to ensure that there is no corruption in my ministry. Accordingly, I made an offer to the person, I am creating an agency that will work according to NATO standards to make any “tricky” schemes impossible,” he explained.
Sharapov will deal with “setting up communication with NSPA, setting up protocols and a transparent, understandable, transparent procurement system” from suppliers verified by the Alliance, Reznikov added.
“We will talk only after we have gone some way, and then if any charges are brought, it will be my political responsibility for it and the legal responsibility of whoever will be involved in it,” he added.
Reznikov connects the appearance of a publication about Sharapova's dubious connections with the political games of those for whom “the war is already over.” Apparently, in this way they earn themselves political bonuses. The minister claims that there is no “treason” in the fact that people are “just acquaintances”.
Reznikov emphasized that it is difficult for the ministry to work with current special exporters, as they are focused primarily on the export of Ukrainian weapons, not the import , have a large commercial component and internal competition. And the newly created Agency should facilitate this task.
Back in December 2021, shortly after his appointment, Reznikov announced his intention to create a military procurement structure in Ukraine according to NATO standards.
According to the minister, the Defense Procurement Agency was created on the model of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. (NSPA) to make arms procurement for Ukraine transparent and prevent corruption.
“NSPA is a kind of Amazon, only with military goods. The “Defense Procurement Agency” of the Ministry of Defense was created according to this model, taking into account NATO standards. This is a transparent mechanism that is clear to our partners, businesses, and manufacturers. (…) In this way, we are de facto integrating into NATO,” the minister said.
Work on the creation of this Agency began at the end of January and was supposed to end in March, but a full-scale war prevented it. A few weeks ago, the Agency was officially registered, now the deployment of its work will begin.
The Defense Reform Advisory Board, an international advisory group of the highest level, which includes representatives of NATO member states, will be able to oversee the work of the Defense Procurement Agency and conduct audits if necessary. Western weapons tracking procedures
Recall that on July 27, “Our Money” published an investigation about how the entourage of the head of the office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak is trying to take control of the entire arms market in Ukraine and actually monopolize the industry.
According to journalists, Denis Sharapov, who is currently the informal head of the Defense Procurement Agency, Boris Yermak and Rakhamim Emanuilov are involved in the scheme. All three are connected by a business partnership, they were the beneficiaries of “Media Group of European Partnership” LLC. Sharapov is also Yermak Jr.'s business partner.
Congresswoman Viktoria Spartz accused the Ukrainian authorities of possible smuggling of Western weapons. What did the congresswoman use and why her statements are dangerous, read in Tetyana Silina's article “Spartz against Yermak, and both against Ukraine“.
