The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) really purchased sports suits from Kharkiv entrepreneur Volodymyr Lytvyn, who is a suspect in criminal proceedings on the purchase of backpacks for the Interior Ministry, NABU Director Artem Sytnyk has said.

"Indeed, individual entrepreneur Lytvyn participated in the procurement of the items that you mentioned. However, in that [backpack] case he is a representative of the Dniprolend firm, rather than an individual entrepreneur," Sytnyk said during hearings in the anti-corruption committee of the Verkhovna Rada on the NABU's work on Friday, when asked by an MP to comment on the purchase of sports suits and other clothes from this person.

He noted that Lytvyn's company offered a lower price.

"There were no legal grounds to decline this purchase. The quality was verified... There are documents. There is property, and it's of proper quality," he added.

As reported, Radical Party MP Ihor Mosiychuk said earlier that NABU had purchased 42 sports suits for a total of UAH 204,540 from Lytvyn. He also published on his Facebook page a scanned copy of the respective specification, dated April 10, 2017. According to the document, sports suits consisting of a Marmot PreCip Jacket and Marmot PreCip Full-Zip Pants were purchased at a price of UHA 4,870. The total cost of UAH 204,540 includes UAH 34,090 in VAT.