The SSU Military Counterintelligence and the National Police, in cooperation with the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, have shut down three schemes for embezzling defense funds in Odesa region.

The perpetrators sold ‘reservations from conscription’, forged combatant IDs, and fuel. This resulted in losses to the Ukrainian budget of almost UAH 100 million (USD 2.3 mln).

The organizer of the scheme is a former commander of a separate battalion stationed in the region.

While serving as a battalion commander, he involved four subordinates in the crimes, including two of his deputies.

Under one of the schemes, they falsely enrolled local entrepreneurs and acquaintances in their military unit. The cost of such ‘services’ to evade conscription was up to USD 5,000.

In reality, these ‘mobilized’ individuals never even appeared on the territory of the restricted facility, but in exchange transferred their monthly salaries to the bank cards of the battalion command.

The officials also traded in forged combatant certificates and illegally sold fuel intended for military equipment.

The law enforcement detained all those involved. Phones and bank cards with evidence of the transactions were seized during searches.

The former battalion commander and the current deputy commander, deputy commander for logistics, head of the fuel and lubricants depot, and company commander have been notified of suspicion of committing crimes under the Articles of the CCU:

• 191.4, 191.5 (misappropriation of property, through abuse of official position, committed by an organized group);
• 366.1 (forgery in office);
• 369-2.3 (abuse of influence).

The suspects are in custody and face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The operation was carried out under the procedural supervision of Odesa Specialized Prosecutor’s Office for the Southern Region.