Eight individuals, including four officials from Slovakia’s Ministry of Defense, have been detained as part of a European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) investigation into alleged misuse of €7.4 million intended for Ukraine’s military support.
The European Peace Facility has been instrumental in reimbursing EU countries for military support provided to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. Slovakia contributed military aid to Ukraine throughout 2022 and 2023. However, after taking office in 2023, Slovakia’s pro-Russian Prime Minister Robert Fico and his allies halted all further military assistance to Ukraine.
EU prosecutors target misuse of aid for Ukraine
On 18 June, the EPPO’s office in Bratislava conducted evidence-gathering activities tied to suspicions that funds allocated for Ukraine’s defense were misappropriated. The investigation focuses on the misuse of EU resources meant for military aid, specifically ammunition, which was donated to Ukraine during the early stages of the Russian invasion.
Defense officials allegedly violated procurement rules
According to the EPPO, senior Ministry of Defense officials submitted reimbursement applications to the European Peace Facility (EPF) between February and March 2022 for costs related to donated ammunition. However, investigators suspect the officials intentionally breached public procurement procedures and budgetary rules.
The suspects are accused of issuing unjustified orders for ammunition purchases from two private companies. EPPO suggests these contracts may have been part of a rigged tender process and that the ammunition may have been significantly overpriced.
EPPO emphasized that all eight suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in Slovak courts.
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