Ukrainian anti‑drone shield fraud sees 68 million hryvnias vanish

Almost 68 million hryvnias were earmarked to build anti‑drone protective shields for an energy facility in Ukraine’s Mykolaiv region. According to the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), a company received a large advance payment but never began construction, and the money disappeared.

The case is being investigated jointly by the SBU, the National Police and the prosecutor’s office. Prosecutors have identified the firm as a suspect, though no court verdict has been reached. Officials say the missing funds weaken Ukraine’s air‑defense capability, increasing the risk of power outages and raising concerns among Western donors about the oversight of war‑time aid.