Ukraine's Defence Procurement Agency continues to work under current head
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Ukraine’s Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) has stated that it is continuing to work under the leadership of Maryna Bezrukova, "because the right to extend or terminate a director’s current contract is vested exclusively in the Supervisory Board".
Source: Defence Procurement Agency
Details: The DPA also insisted that its supervisory board is "legally valid" despite Defence Minister Rustem Umierov’s claims concerning the dismissal of two of its members.
Quote: "In these circumstances, the premature announcement of the alleged new head of the Agency is a direct manifestation of pressure on the Supervisory Board and an attempt to replace independent corporate governance with a 'hands-on approach'.
And that is an unprecedented breach of all past agreements between the Ministry of Defence and civil society and international partners, especially those who are funding the manufacturing of Ukrainian weapons on the Danish model."
Details: The DPA said it is ready to answer "to the public, and most importantly to the military," for the results of its work.
Background:
- Bezrukova became the head of the Defence Procurement Agency in January 2024. Her contract expires at the end of the week.
- In a column for Ukrainska Pravda summing up the DPA's work in 2024, Bezrukova said the supervisory board – comprising independent members Kateryna Kuznetsova, Lukasz Stoliarski and Patrick Auroy, and state representatives Taras Chmut and Yurii Dzhyhyr – had started working in December.
- Daria Kaleniuk, executive director of the Anti-Corruption Action Centre, said that in September 2024, Umierov had planned to dismiss Bezrukova and appoint Holos (Voice) party member Oleksandra Ustinova to the position.
- Umierov said that Arsen Zhumadilov, head of Ukraine’s State Logistics Operator, would be appointed as the director of the DPA.
- Zhumadilov said he had agreed to head up the DPA "at this difficult time".
- Bezrukova has announced that she will continue to carry out her duties.
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