The Agency for Defense Procurement (ADP) also reported pressure on its Supervisory Board and attempts to revert defense procurement to a "manual mode".
The agency reminded that on January 23, the Supervisory Board of the ADP signed an additional agreement to extend the contract with the current director for one year.
"The decision to extend the contract was made unanimously. This means that the ADP continues to operate under the leadership of Marina Bezrukova, as the authority to extend or terminate the director's current contract lies exclusively with the Supervisory Board. This is in accordance with both the laws of Ukraine and the latest version of the agency's Charter," the statement said.
As noted by the ADP, its Supervisory Board is legitimate, despite the statement by Ukraine's Defense Minister Rustem Umerov regarding the withdrawal of two state representatives who "expressed an independent position".
"In this context, the premature announcement of an allegedly new head of the Agency is a direct manifestation of pressure on the Supervisory Board and an attempt to replace independent corporate governance with a 'manual mode'," the statement continued. "This is an unprecedented violation of all prior agreements between the Ministry of Defense and civil society, and international partners, particularly those financing the production of Ukrainian weapons under the 'Danish model'."
The ADP emphasized that "any attempts at unlawful interference in the activities of independent oversight bodies undermine institutional capacity and may have negative consequences for both international support for Ukraine and for stable supplies of weapons and military equipment to the front."
"The ADP continues to operate as usual under the leadership of the current director Marina Bezrukova, ensuring the fulfillment of critically important contracts for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The agency remains committed to the principles of transparency and accountability in defense procurement, which is the foundation of trust among Ukraine's international partners," the agency concluded.