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Spanish authorities have arrested a former high-ranking Ukrainian national security official wanted on corruption charges tied to allegedly rigged military procurement contracts worth more than 17 million hryvnias (about $410,000).
The suspect, identified by Ukrainian media as Oleh Hladkovskyi, served as the First Deputy Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC). He was detained in Spain on Wednesday and is currently awaiting a decision on extradition to Ukraine, according to the Ukraine’s Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
He is accused of abusing his position to benefit Bogdan Motors, a private vehicle manufacturer in which he and his associates allegedly held shares. The case centers on a 2016–2017 government defense contract for high-speed military trucks. Prosecutors say Bogdan Motors received the contract despite failing to meet key requirements—including a rule mandating that at least 60 percent of production take place in Ukraine—due to preferential treatment arranged by the suspect and officials within the Defense Ministry.
Investigators from Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and SAPO allege that the contract was tailored to favor Bogdan Motors, allowing the purchase of MAZ 6317 trucks (rebranded as Bogdan 6317), which were only 10 percent locally produced at the time. Although the company pledged to increase localization to 30 percent within three years, prosecutors say those terms were never met. Instead, they claim the firm unlawfully transferred localization costs to the state.
Prosecutors also accuse Hladkovskyi—who also served as Deputy Defense Minister and director of a ministry department—of inflating prices in the fixed-cost contract, resulting in an estimated 17 million hryvnias in excess payments.
He was first notified of the charges in October 2019, and the indictment was submitted to Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) in July 2021. He left Ukraine in November 2023, and was placed on an international wanted list in April 2024.
While presumed innocent until proven guilty, Hladkovskyi could face a significant prison sentence if extradited and convicted.
