In the Odesa region, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) exposed a large-scale scheme of illegal receipt of combat pay, in which officials of the military unit participated. The deputy commander of the unit together with accomplices issued fictitious documents for more than 20 people, which allowed them to receive 20 million hryvnias from the budget.
The investigators found out that the person involved together with his accomplices organized a scheme according to which some servicemen of the unit were at home and, according to the documents, were on duty and received appropriate financial support for this.
These soldiers gave their salary bank cards to the organizers of the scheme, who instead received all the payments. According to preliminary data, more than 20 people managed to arrange plots during the period of the scheme and received from them up to 20 million hryvnias.
On August 2, 2024, the SDF together with the National Police detained the deputy commander of the military unit and some military personnel. During the searches, firearms and ammunition, narcotic drugs and more than 118,000 US dollars were found and seized from them. The deputy commander of the military unit was informed of the suspicion of exceeding official authority and aiding in the evasion of military service (Part 5 of Article 426-1, Part 5 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 409 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)
The man was ordered to take a preventive measure in the form of detention with the alternative of posting bail in the amount of UAH 20 million. The suspect faces up to 12 years in prison.
The investigation continues, other persons involved in the organization of the scheme are being identified. Measures are also being taken to seize the property of those involved in order to compensate for the damages caused to the state.
