Millions in misappropriations: The Security Service of Ukraine has announced charges against a former deputy minister of social policy (photo).

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced suspicions against the former Deputy Minister of Social Policy, who is accused of embezzling state funds. This is stated in a report from the agency's press service.

According to the publication "RBK-Ukraine" citing sources in law enforcement, the individual in question is Bohdan Lebedtsov. At the same time, law enforcement officials report that the suspect, a former official, entered into an agreement with a firm for the purchase of computers for the ministry's central office, causing damage amounting to 24 million hryvnias.

"This agreement was signed by the then Deputy Minister in violation of the law, as it did not align with the goals and objectives of the cooperation project with the World Bank, under which the purchase of computer equipment was supposed to take place, and it was not approved by the Ministry of Digital Transformation," the SBU statement reads.

The special service adds that the conclusions of a forensic economic examination conducted as part of the investigative actions confirmed the fact of damage in the previously mentioned amount.

Based on the gathered evidence, SBU investigators informed the former Deputy Minister of the suspicion under Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (official negligence). The penalties for this article include imprisonment for a term of two to five years and deprivation of the right to hold certain positions.

According to open sources, Bohdan Lebedtsov served as Deputy Minister of Social Policy since March 2020. It later became known that he was dismissed from his position on June 10, 2022.

Earlier reports indicated that a former leading presenter of Medvedchuk's TV channels received a suspicion. According to the investigation, during broadcasts, the host and his guests repeatedly justified Russian aggression and the military crimes of the occupiers, particularly the missile strikes on Ukraine's civilian infrastructure, the SBU stated.

It later emerged that a well-known blogger received a suspicion. Law enforcement officials do not disclose the name and surname of the expert. However, according to Ukrainian blogger Serhiy Sternenko, the propagandist from pro-Russian channels Dmitry Korniychuk was the one who received the suspicion.