Turchynov demands stringent measures for officials obstructing purchase of domestic bulletproof vests for army

Verkhovna Rada Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov has asked the Prosecutor General's Office to investigate the obstruction by officials of the Antimonopoly Committee of the rapid procurement of domestically produced bulletproof vests for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"I am asking the prosecutor general to consider the question of actions by the Antimonopoly Committee and arrest those responsible today, those who stop the supply of bulletproof vests for the army, those who did it!" he said at a parliament meeting on Friday.

Before that, Acting Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Koval informed MPs about problems with the purchase of Korsar bulletproof vests (fourth degree of protection) for the Armed Forces. He noted that the problems with the purchase were triggered due to the actions of Antimonopoly Committee officials who are delaying the procurement procedure.

According to the head of the Defense Ministry, the Defense Ministry plans to buy 28,000 Ukrainian bulletproof vests at UAH 4,100 per vest, whereas the Antimonopoly Committee, blocking the procurement procedure, proposes purchasing other vests at UAH 17,000 per vest.

Koval said that the Defense Ministry had already purchased 14,000 vests.