Estonian Defense Minister resigns following Ukrainian ammunition procurement scandal
The audit found delays and faulty shells after Estonia paid €70 million upfront from EU funds for ammunition that had never been sold before.
- On Sept 2, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur announced his resignation following revelations that the state paid 70 million euros—about $81.1 million—to Datasel for artillery shells that arrived faulty and unusable.
- The National Audit Office released a report on Aug 28 criticizing defense procurement after discovering the 2024 contract involved a firm that had never previously sold a single shell.
- Current RKIK Director General Elmar Vaher stated the contract should never have been signed, likening hiring the inexperienced firm to "building a house" without prior experience as Estonia seeks recovery.
- Prime Minister Kristen Michal ordered RKIK to prioritize recovering the funds through courts, while the Prosecutor launched a criminal investigation into procurement issues covered in reports from 2025 and 2026.
- Estonia continues to scale up defense capabilities, with defense expenditure planned to rise to 5.4% of GDP in 2026, reflecting a 42% budget growth amid regional security concerns.
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98 Articles
Estonian defence minister Hanno Pevkur resigns: EU funds for Ukraine weapons flowed to Indian company without experience in ammunition production.
The Estonian Court of Auditors found "serious problems with the use of public funds and made particular reference to a contract for artillery shells offered to an unexperienced firm," writes Kyiv Independent. The Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur announced his resignation, following revelations that his government ...
Estonian Defense Minister resigns following Ukrainian ammunition procurement scandal
During a Sept. 2 interview with Estonian ETV news show Aktuaalne kaamera, Pevkur acknowledged that he had not read the artillery contracts, but confirmed that RRIK had brought them to him, as quoted by ERR.
The ammunition was intended for the defense of Ukraine - After the issue was made public, the country's Defense Minister, Hano Pevkur, resigned.
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