Battalion command in Odesa region detained on suspicion of embezzling 100 million

Officers of the Security Service of Ukraine's military counterintelligence and the National Police detained a military unit commander, his two deputies and a company commander in Odesa region.

According to the SBU press service, the detainees are suspected of selling conscription armor, fake combatant IDs and fuel.

According to the investigation, this resulted in losses to the budget of Ukraine of almost UAH 100 million. The organizer of the fraud is believed to be the former commander of a separate battalion stationed in the region. As a commander, he involved four subordinates, including two of his deputies, in the crimes.

Under one of the schemes, they fictitiously enlisted local businessmen and acquaintances to serve in their military unit. The cost of such services to avoid conscription was up to 5 thousand US dollars.

In fact, such mobilized persons did not even appear on the territory of the restricted facility, but in exchange for this, they transferred their salaries to the bank cards of the battalion command on a monthly basis. The officials also sold fake combatant certificates and illegally sold fuel intended for military equipment.

Law enforcement officers detained all of them and seized phones and bank cards with evidence of the fraud during the searches. Currently, the former battalion commander and current deputy commander, deputy commander for logistics, head of the fuel and lubricants depot and company commander have been served suspicion notices under several articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:

• Article 191, paragraphs 4 and 5 (misappropriation of property through abuse of office committed by an organized group);
• Article 366(1) (forgery in office);
• Part 3 of Article 369-2 (abuse of influence).

The offenders are in custody. They face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

Кирило Бойко