A grenade launcher operator from the Mykolaiv region joined the Southwestern Military District and stole someone else's car

A soldier from the Mykolaiv region, who had been released early from prison to perform military service, has found himself behind bars again. He was found guilty of deserting his unit and stealing an acquaintance’s car. 

This is according to the verdict of the Kazankivsky District Court of Mykolaiv Oblast.

As the court established, in July 2024, the man was conditionally released early from prison, where he had been serving a sentence for theft. He was then assigned to contract military service and later appointed as a grenade launcher operator in the “Shkval” unit.

However, on September 24, 2024, the serviceman left his post without permission and went home. According to the case file, he did not return to his unit for over a year and a half.

While at home, the man committed another crime. In June 2026, he saw an unlocked Chery Tiggo in an acquaintance’s yard, rolled it out onto the road, and then convinced the acquaintance to help tow the car, claiming that he had allegedly purchased it legally. He subsequently sold the car. Its value was estimated at over 190,000 hryvnias.

During the court hearing, the defendant fully admitted his guilt and explained that he had left his military unit without permission, boarded a bus, and traveled home. He also confirmed that he had stolen the car while under the influence of alcohol.

“He decided to leave his post without authorization. He sincerely regrets his actions… and intends to return to military service,” the case file states.

The victim informed the court that he had no financial claims against the defendant.

The court sentenced the man to six years in prison for the aggregate of the new crimes. At the same time, because he committed them after being released on parole, the unserved portion of his previous sentence was partially added to the new sentence. The final sentence is seven years of imprisonment.

Ірина Глухова