The SSU has eliminated another two schemes of money extortion from the servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and their families.

In Kyiv region, the SSU detained a resident of Boryspil district who was extorting money from relatives of a missing Ukrainian defender.

The investigation established that the victim is the brother of his fellow villager, a junior sergeant of a mechanized platoon of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This soldier did not get in touch after the enemy shelling of Ukrainian positions near Bakhmut.

The perpetrator told the soldier’s relative that the missing man was supposedly in a hospital in Belarus and needed a complex operation.

To ‘save’ the defender, the man offered to transfer USD 2,000 to his own bank cards.

The SSU timely exposed the fraudster, documented three facts of receiving money and detained him.

During the search at the suspect’s residence, the SSU found:

• 3 mobile phones and a SIM card used by the offender to call the victim;
• 3 bank cards to which he received money;
• 90 rounds of assorted ammunition and a combat grenade.

The offender was served a notice of suspicion under two Articles of the CCU:

• 190.1 (fraud);
• 263.1 (illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives).

In Vinnytsa, the SSU detained the head of a local collection company.

He was demanding that a demobilized wounded Armed Forces serviceman pay UAH 1 million of a supposedly overdue debt of his mother.

In case of non-payment, he threatened with physical violence.

The SSU detained the suspect when he received the first part of the ‘payment’ (UAH 200,000).

The offender was served a notice of suspicion under Article 189.4 of the CCU (extortion that caused large-scale property damage). The court chose custody without the right to bail as a measure of restraint.

The investigation is ongoing.

The SSU Offices in Kyiv, Kyiv region and Vinnytsia region carried out the operations jointly with the National Police under the supervision of Kyiv and Vinnytsia regional Prosecutor’s Offices.