Babel Editor-in-Chief Denies Sale of Bulletproof Vests in Mindych Case

Bulletproof Vest Controversy: Hleb Husiev Sets the Record Straight

According to Главком: Hleb Husiev, the editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian outlet Babel, has pushed back against claims made by Yaroslav Zhelezniak, head of parliament's Temporary Investigative Commission, regarding the alleged sale of bulletproof vests in the Mindych case. Husiev stated that the vests remain stored in a warehouse on the Left Bank and cannot be sold, returned to Israel, or recycled due to their markings, which identify them as property of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and explicitly not intended for sale.

Zhelezniak had previously alleged that the vests, produced by Israeli company Masada Armor, were sold. In response, Husiev emphasized that

“in reality, the bulletproof vests are still sitting in a warehouse on the Left Bank. The boxes in the photo contain 5,000 units worth $2.7 million.”

He added that it is

“legally impossible, even in theory”

to sell these vests, as the Ukrainian company involved holds a license only for sales, not production, making any recycling or repurposing unfeasible.

Bureaucratic Hurdles in Military Procurement

According to an investigation published by Babel last week, the dispute stems from bureaucratic and procedural issues related to whether certain components of the shipment matched the approved reference sample. The report stresses that the vests had passed all basic approval and testing stages before the contract was signed. Husiev noted that the disagreement has nothing to do with the quality or safety of the equipment for military personnel.

This situation highlights the need for transparency and strict adherence to procedures in military procurement, especially during wartime when equipment reliability and safety are critical. Husiev's response also points to potential communication breakdowns between state institutions, which could undermine public trust in government procurement processes.