Mindich ties could cost Fire Point its defense contracts
FP-1 drone production line (Photo: REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko)
Defense contractor Fire Point could be excluded from military
procurement after recent
reporting suggested fugitive businessman Tymur Mindich owns a stake in the
company, Yurii Hudymenko, chair of the Public Anti‑Corruption
Council at the Defense Ministry, told NV Radio on May 4.
“We have unofficial confirmation that Tymur Mindich is involved in Fire Point as one of the beneficiaries,” Hudymenko said.
“That means the moment it is legally proven, Fire Point will immediately lose the ability to sell anything to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, because Mindich is under sanctions and is not listed as an owner of Fire Point.”
Hudymenko said law would prohibit the company from supplying the military once Mindich’s involvement is confirmed, effectively reducing the company’s revenues to zero. To address the problem, he said authorities would either have to lift sanctions on Mindich or urgently amend Fire Point’s ownership structure.
Lifting the sanctions, he added, would be politically difficult because Mindich is involved in corruption schemes tied to Energoatom and the Defense Ministry.
“We proposed having at least a plan B for this problem now
rather than waiting until it happens, because there is no control over when it
will,” he said.
Will you support Ukraine’s free press?
Dear reader, as all news organizations, we must balance the pressures of delivering timely, accurate, and relevant stories with requirements to fund our business operations.
As a Ukrainian-based media, we also have another responsibility – to amplify Ukraine’s voice to the world during the crucial moment of its existence as a political nation.
It’s the support of our readers that lets us continue doing our job. We keep our essential reporting free because we believe in our ultimate purpose: an independent, democratic Ukraine.
If you’re willing to support Ukraine, consider subscribing to our Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Please help us continue fighting Russian propaganda.
Truth can be hard to tell from fiction these days. Every viewpoint has its audience of backers and supporters, no matter how absurd.
If conscious disinformation is reinforced by state propaganda apparatus and budget, its outcomes may become deadly.
There is no solution to this, other than independent, honest, and accurate reporting.
We remain committed to empowering the Ukrainian voice to push against the muck. If you’re willing to stand up for the truth – consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. Thank you very much.
Will you help tell Ukraine’s story to the world?
Twenty years ago, most people hadn’t even heard of Ukraine. Today, the country is on everyone’s lips and everyone’s headlines. War pushed us on the front page. But there are many other things we do that we are proud of – from music and culture to technology.
We need your help to tell the world Ukrainian story of resilience, joy, and survival. If you’re willing to back our effort, consider supporting us on Patreon starting from 5$ per month. We are immensely grateful.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
