The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine signed a contract for the purchase of plastic flasks at inflated prices, despite similar offers cheaper, according to the investigation of the Ukrainian independent anti-corruption centre NGL.media.
According to the investigation, the State Operator of the Home Front, a state enterprise of the Ministry of Defence, held a tender for the supply of 100,000 litre plastic flasks in 2024. As a result, a contract for 35.5 million hryvnias ($873.6 thousand) was signed, although other suppliers were ready to supply the flasks for less than 20 million hryvnias ($492 thousand).
According to the published information, the contract went to the Coltrane company, which has not been involved in supplying such products before. The company’s founders are two women, with more than 1,200 other companies listed on their books.
“Coltrane ordered the flasks on Alibaba’s marketplace for $3.85 per unit, despite similar products priced at $0.73. The differences were only in the labelling on the plastic, and the intermediaries earned on this deal 12-15 million hryvnia (295-370 thousand dollars), follows from the material.
We will remind, earlier journalists of the Ukrainian programme “Slidstvo. Info” reported that the general staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2023 bought Italian chess games, AppleWatch, icons and sets of crystal crockery for budget funds.