Position: Head of the Procurement Department of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP).
Area of Corrupt Activity: National security and defense.
Region of Corrupt Activity: All of Ukraine.
Legal Qualification: The actions are classified under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Status: At liberty.
Case Details: In late October 2025, detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), together with prosecutors from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO), exposed a corruption scheme organized by officials of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine. Two officials and two representatives of private companies were notified of suspicion in connection with the embezzlement of more than UAH 90 million in public funds.
According to media reports, the individuals involved included Volodymyr Mokrenko, Head of the Procurement Department of the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, and SSSCIP official Vadym Borsuk.
The investigation established that, following the adoption of amendments to the 2023 State Budget, which allocated UAH 30 billion for defense needs through the SSSCIP, the head of one of the Service’s departments devised a criminal scheme to misappropriate part of these funds. To implement the plan, officials selected in advance the companies that were to win the tenders and ensured favorable conditions for them. Competition in the bidding process was simulated by companies controlled by the same participants.
As a result, between May and September 2023, the SSSCIP purchased 400 DJI Mavic 3 drones and 1,300 Autel Evo Max 4T drones at prices 70–90% higher than market rates. The proceeds from these transactions were transferred through a series of shell companies and converted into cash.
According to the investigation, these actions caused the state budget losses of more than UAH 90 million. All individuals involved in the case are suspected of misappropriating property on an especially large scale (Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
Subsequently, the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) imposed a preventive measure on financial manager Serhii Horbatiuk in the case concerning the alleged embezzlement of UAH 90 million through the SSSCIP’s procurement of DJI Mavic 3 and Autel Evo Max 4T drones for the Defense Forces.
“The motion is partially granted. A preventive measure in the form of detention for a period of 60 days, until December 28, 2025, is imposed on the suspect, Serhii Vasylovych Horbatiuk. The suspect Horbatiuk is to be taken into custody in the courtroom,” the judge announced.
At the same time, the court set bail as an alternative at UAH 12.11 million. If bail is posted, Horbatiuk will be required to appear upon first demand; notify the authorities of any change of residence and/or employment; not leave the city of Lviv without permission; refrain from communicating with a number of individuals; surrender his international passports for safekeeping; and wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.
The HACC press service also reported that the court had remanded another suspect in the case in custody. According to media reports, this was Yurii Volian, owner of the Lviv-based company Ex Im Ukraine. His alternative bail was set at UAH 15.14 million.
In November 2025, the High Anti-Corruption Court rejected NABU detectives’ motion to remand Volodymyr Mokrenko in custody. Mokrenko is one of the SSSCIP officials implicated in the drone procurement case. The court ordered him to post bail of UAH 12 million and required him to appear before the investigators conducting the pre-trial investigation. Another official, Vadym Borsuk, was ordered to post bail of UAH 5 million.
In August 2026, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office announced new suspicions in the case concerning the embezzlement of funds during the procurement of drones for the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
Four individuals were newly notified of suspicion: two SSSCIP officials and two representatives of private companies. Another individual who effectively controlled these companies was notified of suspicion of aiding and abetting the crime. Their actions were classified under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
“The actions of the suspects have been classified under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (embezzlement of property through abuse of official position on an especially large scale),” the statement said.
In addition, SAPO reported that the amount of damage caused to the state had increased from UAH 90 million to UAH 254 million.
At the same time, the High Anti-Corruption Court imposed a preventive measure in the form of bail set at UAH 5 million on Liubomyra Kozhushko, owner of Consulting-Bud LLC. She is a newly identified suspect in the case concerning the alleged embezzlement of UAH 90 million through the SSSCIP’s procurement of DJI Mavic 3 and Autel Evo Max 4T drones for the Defense Forces.
Individuals Potentially Involved in Corruption Schemes: Volodymyr Mokrenko, Head of the SSSCIP Procurement Department; another SSSCIP official, Vadym Borsuk; and businesspeople Yurii Volian, Serhii Horbatiuk, and Liubomyra Kozhushko.
Assets: In his 2025 declaration, Mokrenko stated that he owns a residential house in Sumy Region, as well as a residential house and a plot of land in Kyiv Region held in joint shared ownership with his wife.
Mokrenko declared two passenger vehicles: a Skoda Kodiaq (valued at UAH 1.04 million) and a VAZ. In addition, his wife purchased a Nissan Leaf in 2022.
Mokrenko’s income for that year amounted to UAH 1,362,448.
He declared EUR 5,000 in cash and UAH 53,277 in his bank accounts. His wife also held EUR 5,000 and UAH 3,251 in her bank accounts.
Authorities Responsible for Responding: Law enforcement agencies responded to the corruption scheme in a timely manner by notifying each participant of suspicion.
Scandals: Before the corruption scheme came to light, Mokrenko had not been linked to any other scandals.
Sources:
https://public.nazk.gov.ua/documents/3dbe362e-584a-49ea-8c3a-11ffa54a11e9