Radio Liberty: corruption prevents Ukraine from accepting American military boats as a gift

Since 2014, Ukraine cannot get two Island class patrol boats that America has donated due to bureaucratic procedures, and also possibly due to the commercial interests of the Forge on Rybalsky plant owned by President Petro Poroshenko and his partner Igor Kononenko . This is stated in the investigation program "Schemes" on «Radio Svoboda».

Photo: Radio Liberty frame

After the annexation of Crimea, Ukraine decided to develop a “mosquito fleet” - small but maneuverable ships. The United States decided to help Ukraine and donated two maneuverable combat boats of the type Island. But the ships still stand in the port of Baltimore.

The Scheme journalists learned from their sources in the Senate and the Pentagon that Ukraine has resisted the present in the form of boats for the fourth year, ostensibly because of the selfish motives of the state leadership. Michael Carpenter, ex-adviser to the vice-president of the United States since the time of Obama Joe Biden and the former second deputy secretary of defense of the United States, who was in charge of Russia and Ukraine, also indirectly confirmed this information.

"I heard rumors about class boats to Icelandproposed to Ukraine - that there is an alternative scheme for the purchase and conversion of vessels that will be produced at the “Forge at Rybalsky” - a shipyard in Kiev. In this matter, it is critically important to have transparency - because if you don’t know what you are competing with, you can’t really carry out the Defense Ministry’s weapons program rationally, ”said Carpenter.

The journalists found out that PJSC “Forge on Rybalsky” PJSC (de-communized “Leninskaya forge”) is today the only shipbuilding enterprise providing the navy with boats that can compete with the Americans. The plant also produces boats of the 58155 project (“Gyurza-M”). Two of these boats are already in service with the Armed Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, four more will soon have to replenish the fleet.

“The importation of American boats, it seems, may partly stir up the commercial plans of the presidential plant,” journalists say in an investigation.

They say that the “Forge on Rybalsky” for the construction of warships already pawns money in the State Defense Order. The investigation says that Ukraine to get a boat Island, it will be necessary to pay for the re-entry and transportation - 5 million dollars for each (10 million dollars total amount). At the same time, the construction of their boats, which will be weaker in performance, will cost approximately 27-35 million dollars.

The investigation also states that the delivery of ships is officially delayed due to bureaucratic issues. The Ministry of Defense cannot legally pay foreign bills. But this can be done by Ukroboronprom, and the company takes a commission of 5% for transactions for the Ministry of Defense. International sources say that there is another digit 20-25%. America does not want to work with gaskets and requires transparency in the conduct of procedures.

The journalists found out that Ukraine had already reached an agreement on defense cooperation with the United States in the 1993 year, and within the framework of this agreement, an operation on payment and transfer of ships can be carried out. The Cabinet may issue an order, endowing the Ministry of Defense with temporary powers that are necessary to pay for ships.

The President of Ukraine, who is also the owner of the only operating enterprise, is restoring the fleet, knows about the current situation, but he refused to answer the journalists’ question, just like the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Navy, which was forced to relocate from the Crimea to Odessa, has been trying to convince the top authorities for years how much the government needs American boats.

At the same time, Washington does not want to enter into open confrontation with the Ukrainian authorities and is still trying to resolve this issue.

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