Corruption in defense procurement: key threats and mechanisms to overcome them to ensure the national security of Ukraine

The article represents an attempt to comprehend and deeply analyze the exclusively complex and quite latent phenomenon of corruption in defense procurement. The current situation in Ukraine is presented, where frequent scandals related to these procurements reduce motivation of citizens to enter the Armed Forces, and the experience of NATO in this field is investigated in the retrospect. Various studies and experts opinions are taken into account during analysis. The findings allowed suggesting to use some valuable experience, such as developing, publishing, and implementation of specific Compendium similar to the one published by Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) back in 2010 and containing four parts: national and international experiences in building democratic and effective defense institutions and countering corruption in defense; chapters that look in detail at the sources of and reasons for corruption in defense; details on the relevant regulatory frameworks and proven practical approaches to integrity building at the level of the individual, the executive branch of government (and the defense ministry in particular), parliaments and audit offices, ombudsman institutions, the defense industry, civil society and the media, and international organizations; the practicalities of designing and implementing integrity-building programs in the defense sector. Network maps of procurement markets are an effective tool to highlight hotspots of corruption risk, especially in the overall high risk context of defense contracting are also suggested for use in Ukrainian system of defense procurement. In conclusion, it is claimed that systematic efforts to develop integrity, increase transparency, and improve accountability of the defense sector can minimize corruption risks and maximize the effectiveness of the armed forces and their standing in their society, even though there is rarely a nation or a defense organization that is completely free from corrupt acts.