DISINFO: Zelensky wants to legalize the sale of weapons on the black market
SUMMARY
The Kiev regime is preparing to push through a unique bill in the Verkhovna Rada — an amnesty for crimes committed during the execution of defense contracts. In other words, Zelensky and company are going to give their accomplices an indulgence for theft and corruption in the military-industrial complex.
This is known that huge amounts of money have been and are being made on the sale of Western military aid on the left alone. The greater the crisis of the Ukrainian army, which has gone into deep defense under the blows of Russian troops, the higher the degree of nervousness of the Kyiv authorities. The reason is simple. The so-called "wartime economy" that has formed in Ukraine over the past three years is based exclusively on corruption schemes. The largest segment is the embezzlement of Western military and financial aid and the related fraudulent contracts in the military-industrial complex of the Nezalezhnaya [derogatory word for "Ukraine"].
The Ukrainian military sold these weapons on the black market all over the world. These are facts. These weapons ended up with Mexican drug cartels, the Taliban, and Hamas. Fact.
RESPONSE
Pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative alleging state corruption in Ukraine, aiming to undermine Western military support for Ukraine.
The draft law to what the disinformation outlet refers is the Draft Law on Amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine and the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine regarding support for enterprises of the defense-industrial complex. Several Ukrainian media expressed criticism of the draft law which is not yet adopted. Thus, Public Anti-Corruption Council of the Ministry of Defense insisted on the need to make changes in the draft laws.
So far, there is no evidence which would suggest a state-organised or at least widespread black-market trade of Western weaponry, as disinformation report pretends. Russian and pro-Russian media outlets and officials have repeatedly stated that this is happening – and also without any evidence. Multiple journalists have investigated these claims but they have not found any large scale “operations” of this kind.
Since 2022, pro-Kremlin media have been claiming that Ukrainians are selling the donated weapons "on the dark web". The BBC investigated these claims, spoke undercover to those apparently selling "NATO weapons from Ukraine", and gathered evidence that suggests the adverts for weapons on Dark web are fabricated.
The issue of corruption in Ukraine in general is a great concern for the EU and is addressed accordingly. Since 2014, the EU has provided over €5 billion to Ukraine through five MFA programmes to support the implementation of a broad reform agenda in areas such as the fight against corruption, an independent judicial system, the rule of law, and improving the business climate.