KIEV, July 29. /ITAR-TASS/. The Ukrainian government and defense enterprises participated in the illegal sale of air defense missile systems, tanks and other combat hardware to private buyers, Ukraine’s Audit Chamber said on Tuesday, citing audit results.

“The battleworthy military hardware and combat weaponry (the armor, Mi-24 combat helicopters, air defense missile systems, small arms and relevant ammunition were sold to private entrepreneurial structures, thus creating a threat to the state’s national security amid the absence of an expressly regulated procedure for the sale of military equipment of exclusively military designation on the domestic market,” the Audit Chamber’s press office said.

The audit has established that the Ukrainian Defense Ministry organized a scheme for property sellouts on the domestic market with the participation of authorized enterprises of the state-owned defense company Ukroboronprom in 2012-2013. Military hardware was sold through intermediaries to conceal the real value of military property that was subsequently sold by authorized companies on external markets, the press office said.

According to available information, the Defense Ministry was submitting and the Cabinet of Ministers was approving the lists of excessive property fit for use and operational with the Ukrainian army.

“The Defense Ministry was selling out military hardware irresponsibly and uncontrollably while officials were avoiding liability for non-fulfillment of their official duties as they were simply relieved of their posts,” the Ukrainian Audit Chamber said.