NABU has completed the investigation into corruption case involving purchase of drones and electronic warfare equipment, involving Haidai and "servant" Kuznetsov

Corruption in the procurement of drones and electronic warfare: investigation completed

The investigation into allegations of corruption in the procurement of UAVs and electronic warfare equipment for the National Guard has been completed.

This was reported by the NABU press service, according to Censor.NET.

What is known?

The defense was given access to the case files.

According to the NABU and the SAPO, in 2025, an organized group systematically embezzled budget funds that local governments had allocated for the needs of the armed forces.

Confirmed episodes

During their investigation, anti-corruption authorities were able to establish the following facts:

a member of the Verkhovna Rada and a former Ukrainian Armed Forces servicemember accepting a bribe—up to 30% of the contract amount—in exchange for influencing the commander of a military unit to award contracts for the procurement of FPV drones;
The purchase of FPV drones worth nearly 10 million hryvnias by a military unit of the Ukrainian National Guard, involving price inflation of over 3 million hryvnias. The former head of the Luhansk RMA (RMA), a member of parliament, the head of the city military administration, a former military serviceman, a beneficiary, and the director of a company appropriated the aforementioned budget funds as a "kickback" after the delivery of goods;
the procurement of electronic warfare equipment at inflated prices. The former head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, the head of the city military administration, and the commander of a National Guard unit received up to 30% of the contract amount;
the purchase of FPV drones for nearly 2 million hryvnias at inflated prices. A member of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council, a beneficiary, and the director of the manufacturing company were involved in the embezzlement of funds;
The beneficiary, who is the director of a company and a member of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council, allegedly arranged fictitious employment for at least 15 individuals subject to military service. The cost of her services ranged from $5,000 to $12,000;
the former head of the Luhansk RMA’s illicit enrichment of over 62 million hryvnias;
the former head of the Luhansk RMA providing false information in his financial disclosure statements for 2020–2025.

Among the suspects:

former head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration;
Member of the Ukrainian Parliament;
head of the city military administration;
commander of a military unit of the National Guard of Ukraine;
the actual beneficial owner of the UAV manufacturer;
the director of a UAV manufacturing company;
member of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Council;
a former member of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Corruption scheme involving drones for the National Guard

As a reminder, on August 2, 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy heard a report from NABU Director Semyon Kryvonos and SAPO Head Oleksandr Klymenko. It was noted that one of Ukraine’s members of parliament, as well as heads of district and city administrations and servicemen of the National Guard of Ukraine, had been caught taking bribes.
In addition, the NABU reported that large-scale corruption had been uncovered in the procurement of UAVs and electronic warfare equipment at inflated prices; among those implicated is a sitting member of parliament.
The Anti-Corruption Center reported that among those implicated in the case is Oleksii Kuznetsov, a member of parliament from the Servant of the People party.
It was previously reported that among those implicated by NABU and the SAPO in a corruption scheme involving the procurement of drones for the military is Serhii Haidai—the former head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration and current head of the Mukachevo CMA.
On Saturday, August 2, at a meeting, the government proposed dismissing Serhiy Haidai, head of the Mukachevo District State Administration, from his post.
On the same day, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Andrii Yurchenko, head of the Rubizhne City Military Administration in Luhansk Oblast, and Serhiy Haidai, head of the Mukachevo District State Administration.
On September 2, the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court dismissed the appeal filed by the defense team of Serhiy Haidai, the former head of the Mukachevo CMA in the Zakarpattia region, and the prosecutor against the pretrial detention order, which included the option of posting a 10 million hryvnia bail.