“Golden Eggs” at the Ministry of Defense: After nearly four years of investigations, the case over UAH 733 million in food supplies for Ukraine’s Armed Forces has finally been sent to court

From the 2023 scandal to a 2026 trial: suspects in the case accused of embezzling hundreds of millions

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12 Nov 2026

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Almost four years passed between the scandal over eggs costing 17 hryvnias and the indictment being sent to court. During that time, anti-corruption agencies investigated a scheme involving food purchases for the military, through which suppliers allegedly obtained more than UAH 733 million illegally. The case has now been sent to the High Anti-Corruption Court.

On November 12, 2026, a prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) sent an indictment to court against a former head of a department at the Ministry of Defense, the owner and directors of supplier companies, and another individual.

The investigation began on February 3, 2023. At the time, the scandal over food procurement for the Armed Forces of Ukraine attracted widespread attention, in particular because of reports of eggs costing 17 hryvnias apiece. The suspects were notified of their charges on April 2, 2025, and on September 19, 2025, NABU and SAPO announced that the pre-trial investigation had concluded and made the case materials available to the defense for review.

However, the indictment was not sent to court until November 12, 2026. Thus, almost 3 years and 9 months passed between the start of the investigation and the case being sent for trial, while almost 1 year and 2 months passed after the investigation officially concluded.

According to investigators, in 2022–2023 the Ministry of Defense purchased food for the military using a catalog of 409 items. Law enforcement officials allege that suppliers inflated prices for the most in-demand products and lowered them for products that were rarely ordered or could not be ordered at all due to their seasonality. In particular, 40 items with inflated prices accounted for about half the value of supplies under the contract—approximately UAH 1.2 billion. By contrast, just UAH 3.6 million worth of the 27 items with reduced prices was supplied, amounting to about 0.14%. Products with unrealistically low prices included seasonal berries and fruit: sweet cherries at UAH 8 per kilogram, and strawberries and blackcurrants at UAH 10. However, due to the contract periods, military units could not order these products at the relevant time.

According to investigators, the Ministry of Defense official did not respond to these price manipulations when signing the contracts. As a result, two supplier companies illegally obtained more than UAH 733 million between August and December 2022.

After the investigation began and the story received media coverage, the suppliers lowered prices on 11 of the most in-demand products. Law enforcement officials estimate that this prevented the possible embezzlement of a further UAH 788 million in public funds.

Separately, in August 2024, the Bureau of Economic Security seized more than €4.7 million in unaccounted cash while investigating supplier companies for tax evasion. The High Anti-Corruption Court subsequently froze the funds as part of the NABU and SAPO investigation. The suspects’ actions were classified under Part 5 of Article 191, Part 2 of Article 15, Part 5 of Article 191, and Part 3 of Article 209 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The case will now be heard by the High Anti-Corruption Court. However, sending an indictment to court does not mean that the suspects have already been found guilty. The prosecution must prove their guilt, and the court will issue the final decision.

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