The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has reported that it has uncovered a possible corruption scheme related to the planned purchase of 100 Dassault Rafale fighter jets manufactured in France, APA reports, citing the official website of NABU.
The bureau stated that certain officials and high-ranking military officers from both the Ukrainian and French sides allegedly intended to embezzle more than €2 billion allocated for the aircraft purchase and transfer the funds to offshore accounts.
According to the information, data obtained in the course of the investigation were allegedly collected through listening devices reportedly installed in the vehicle of Andriy Yermak, the former head of the Office of Volodymyr Zelensky. Based on the recordings, Yermak is said to have met several times with François-Xavier Polderman, Chief of the General Staff of the French Armed Forces, to discuss the removal of cash from Ukraine and the transfer of funds to offshore accounts. It is noted that Yermak’s driver and interpreter were also present at the meetings.
It is recalled that in November 2025, during a visit by President Volodymyr Zelensky to France, a contract was signed with Emmanuel Macron providing for the supply of 100 Rafale fighter jets to Ukraine over the next ten years. Under the agreement, the total amount to be paid by Ukraine is reported to range between €15 billion and €30 billion.
According to NABU’s investigation, a plan to misappropriate the funds to be paid under the contract and transfer them to offshore accounts was allegedly prepared by high-ranking officials on both the Ukrainian and French sides. The allegations reportedly name Andriy Yermak, Admiral François-Xavier Polderman, Fabien Mandon, Chief of the General Staff of the French Armed Forces, Rustem Umerov, and other senior officials as being involved in the scheme.
The information also states that the first tranche of €2 billion allegedly earmarked under the corruption scheme has already been removed from the territory of Ukraine.
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