October 18, 2010 - 19:35 AMT
Ukraine investigates deliveries of guided anti-aircraft missiles to Georgia

Ukraine is investigating deliveries of guided anti-aircraft missiles to Georgia, a representative of the Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office told Interfax on Monday.

"The preliminary investigation is on," he said adding, "the investigation started a long time ago."

"The Kyiv Pechersky District Court is hearing the second episode in the Parallax case," the source said.

State-run Ukroboronservice acquired over 50 guided anti-aircraft missiles from the Russian-Ukrainian private company Parallax in 2005. Parallax did not have a license for such deals.

The newspaper Delo said that the Ukrainian deliveries of 9M38M1 and 3M9M3 guided anti-aircraft missiles to Georgia in 2005 were under investigation. Security services suspect Ukroboronservice executives of making an illegal arms contract, the newspaper said.

It also noted that Ukrainian prosecutors were checking out cooperation between the state company and Parallax.

Criminal charges were brought against the Parallax director and his deputy, the newspaper said, adding that the men were accused of selling missiles without a license, KyivPost reported.