Investigation: Officials from Yanukovych's era attempted to sell Ukraine's last bombers on eBay.

In an investigation by Radio Liberty, Ukrainian officials have been named who approved the sale of Ukraine's most crucial military equipment, including two strategic bombers Tu-95MS.

These aircraft, which were once part of Ukraine's arsenal, were sold as part of the so-called "military asset disposal program" in 2011, which also included various fighter jets, helicopters, and tanks.

In 2014, one of the bombers appeared on the online auction site eBay for a price of $3 million.

However, after media attention, the listing was removed.

Previous investigations revealed that the bombers were sold to a private company for only $250,000 each under unclear circumstances.

The approval for the sale of the Tu-95MS bombers was initiated by several high-ranking officials, including:

Viktor Baloga, the then Minister of Emergency Situations, who is now a member of the Ukrainian Parliament.

Inna Yemelyanova, former Deputy Minister of Justice, who was on the lustration list in 2014, but is now a member of the Commission on Legal Reform under the President of Ukraine.

The then head of the Ministry of Economic Development reorganization commission, Valeriy Muntyan, who later obtained Russian citizenship and began working for the Russian state bank Vnesheconombank.

The final decision on the sale was made by the government of then Prime Minister Mykola Azarov in August 2011.

The military asset sale project was presented by the then Minister of Defense Mykhailo Yezhel, who justified it as "the reduction and reform of the Armed Forces of Ukraine."

In addition to the bombers, the list included MiG-29, Su-24, and Su-25 aircraft, Mi-8 helicopters, tanks, and artillery.

Currently, Yezhel is wanted by Ukrainian authorities and is likely residing in Belarus.

Further investigation by "Radio Liberty" discusses a 1999 agreement between Ukraine and Russia, signed by then Prime Ministers Valeriy Pustovoitenko and Vladimir Putin, which transferred 11 bombers and cruise missiles to Russia in exchange for debt forgiveness.

Critics, including legal experts, argue that this was a violation of the Ukrainian Constitution, as the transfer occurred without parliamentary approval.

It is reported that this equipment is now being used by the Russian military.

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) opened a case in 2015 regarding the inclusion of the bombers in the list of sold assets.

The engines of these bombers were removed and illegally exported to Russia for use in the Russian Air Force.

However, as the publication notes, the case remains unsolved due to the absence of key suspects, including former Minister of Defense Yezhel.