The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine conducted searches in certain units of the State Border Guard Service in Kyiv in connection with an investigation into possible violations during the procurement of unmanned aerial systems in 2025. The State Border Guard Service officially confirmed its cooperation with the investigative authorities and the provision of all necessary materials.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Circumstances of the drone procurement investigation
According to the investigation, one of the servicemen of the State Border Guard Service is suspected of organizing conditions for obtaining unlawful benefits during the tender for the procurement of drones. The agency reported that the bidding was conducted according to the established procedure, and the winner was the company with the lowest price proposal. At the same time, the suspect military officer, according to the State Border Guard Service, did not have the opportunity to influence the procurement results.
As part of the investigation, the State Border Guard Service is actively cooperating with the investigation, providing all materials related to the negotiation procedures of the tender. The agency emphasizes that it is interested in an objective consideration of the case and establishing the actual degree of the military officer’s involvement:
“As part of the investigation, all necessary information is being provided to the investigation, including materials from the negotiation procedures during the tender. The extent of the serviceman’s involvement in illegal actions and the degree of his responsibility should be determined by the court, assessing the evidence of the prosecution. We emphasize that no one will cover up any illegal actions.”
Uncovering a possible corruption scheme
As the investigation established, in August 2025, one of the military units of the State Border Guard Service initiated the procurement of a batch of drones. A private enterprise was involved in the tender, which offered to supply drones for a total of 825 million hryvnias. During negotiations, the director of this enterprise was contacted by a representative of another drone manufacturing company, requesting not to lower the price — allegedly based on prior agreements with the administration of the State Border Guard Service, his company was supposed to become the winner.
Despite this, the director of the private company submitted an updated proposal with a reduced price, which allowed him to win the tender. After that, the owner of the competing company began demanding an unlawful benefit of 1 million US dollars from the winner. According to the investigation, this money was supposed to guarantee the conclusion of the contract and the acceptance of the equipment by the officials of the State Border Guard Service without obstacles.
Investigators also noted that the winner was organized a phone call with a representative of the State Border Guard Service. The latter stated that all requirements were made in agreement with the agency’s administration. NABU charges the official of the State Border Guard Service and the owner of the private firm with receiving unlawful benefits on a large scale.