11 November 2008, 13:10
Rada's commission reveals illegal arms shipments to Georgia
The temporary inquiry commission of the Ukrainian Parliament set up to investigate facts of illegal weapons deliveries to Georgia has revealed significant financial violations in arms export of the weapon, Valery Konovalyuk, chairman of the commission, said today in the press conference.
"We have received preliminary information about the audit conducted by the Main Control and Audit Department concerning enormous financial violations in the sphere of weapons shipments. You will see a completed scheme of money laundering by separate agencies, which now in fact try to prove the opposite," The RIA "Novosti" quotes Mr Konovalyuk as saying.
According to his version, the national budget was tremendously damaged. However, he did not give any details on these financial violations.
Valery Konovalyuk has also stated that the Ministry of Defence, Security Council and President's Secretary are actively opposing any announcement of the results of commission's investigations of the facts of illegal weapons deliveries to Georgia, the "Ukrainskaya Pravda" reports.
According to the politician, the commission was preparing a special press conference on the trip of its members to South Ossetia, however, the event was disrupted under the order of President's secretariat.
At the same time, according to Mr Konovalyuk, the commission is ready to make a preliminary report and also to show a film about the events in South Ossetia.
"We have really received (the confirmation of deliveries of Ukrainian arms to Georgia) in the form of technical registration numbers of heavy armoured equipment. Our film shows how Ukrainian arms were used in the military aggression against peaceful population and Russian peacekeepers," said Mr Konovalyuk.
He added that the commission possesses information that 15 Ukrainians took part in the Georgian-Russian military conflict.