Ukrainian Justice Ministry explains status of Bezrukova and Zhumadilov in Defence Procurement Agency
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The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine has explained the statuses of the heads of the Defence Procurement Agency which have been constantly changing over the past week.
Source: a statement by the ministry
Details: On 30 January, the State Registration Complaints Board received a complaint from the Ministry of Defence, appealing the decision made by private notary N.V. Ivashchenko to change the information held on the Unified State Register about the head of the Defence Procurement Agency.
As a result, the decision of 29 January 2025 was cancelled on 31 January 2025, and Maryna Bezrukova again became the head of the largest arms procurement agency.
The Ministry of Justice of Ukraine decided to correct a technical error in the Unified State Register, which resulted in the following:
- Arsen Zhumadilov acquires the status of representative of the Defence Procurement Agency with the restriction: "temporary performance of the duties of the director during the internal investigation period"
- Maryna Bezrukova retains the status of head with the restriction: "suspended from performing official duties for the duration of the internal investigation"
Background:
- On 25 January, following a decision by the Ministry of Defence, Arsen Zhumadilov, director of the State Logistics Operator, became the head of the Defence Procurement Agency. The previous director of the agency, Maryna Bezrukova, claimed that the decision was made under pressure and was unlawful.
- On 29 January, Maryna Bezrukova became the head of the Defence Procurement Agency again.
- The National Association of Ukrainian Defence Industries (NAUDI) appealed to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, to immediately intervene in the situation around the state-owned Defence Procurement Agency. Its operations are currently paralysed.
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