Kyiv relies on a steady supply of drones and electronic warfare systems to fight Moscow’s invasion and is also waging a crackdown on graft critical to its future in the European Union.

Anti-corruption authorities said on Saturday they had uncovered a scheme offering kickbacks for purchases at inflated prices.

It involved the legislator, one current and one now sacked official, a national guard commander and two businessmen.

“In 2024–2025, an organised criminal group systematically misappropriated funds allocated by local authorities for defence needs,” the national anti-corruption bureau said in a statement, adding the bribes totalled around 30% of the contracts’ value.

The drone contract was worth US$240,000 with an inflation of about US$80,000, the bureau said.

President Volodymyr Zelensky, who sparked a public furore last month for briefly scrapping the independence of two anti-corruption agencies, praised the move on Saturday after meeting the agency heads.

Besides the lawmaker, those charged today include a former governor and regional administration chief, the head of a city military administration, the commander of a national guard unit, and the director and the owner of a drone manufacturer.

The lawmaker was ordered into custody for two months today, pending bail of the equivalent of around US$190,000, Ukraine’s anti-corruption court said.

None of the suspects were identified.

The equipment was locally manufactured.