SBI exposes major who “earned” millions of hryvnias from combatants
10 June 2025 00:54
The State Bureau of Investigation has exposed the head of a group of staff of a military unit in Sumy region, who organized a large-scale corruption scheme with fictitious combat missions of his subordinates. According to the investigation, the offender misappropriated more than 2.4 million hryvnias of budget funds over three months. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
How the scheme worked
According to the SBI, at the end of 2024, the major gathered six of his subordinates and offered them “easy money.” It was about drawing up fictitious documents for business trips to the combat zone in Kharkiv region. In reality, all the soldiers remained in Sumy and continued to work at the headquarters.
Nevertheless, each “business traveler” received monthly combat payments in the amount of 170 thousand hryvnias. However, subordinates had to transfer most of this money in cash to their superiors. Those who had doubts or disagreed received threats, including actual deployment to the front.
In fact, the major kept the bulk of the money for himself, and the military received only 30 thousand hryvnias per month. Over three months, more than UAH 2.4 million of public funds were misappropriated in this way.
Legal qualification and punishment
The defendant in the case, the head of the administrative group of the military unit’s headquarters, was served a notice of suspicion under Art:
ч. 5 of Art. 426-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – abuse of power by a military official under martial law, which caused grave consequences.
The sanction of the article provides for up to 12 years in prison.
The court has already imposed a bail in the amount of UAH 900 thousand.
The investigation is ongoing
The case is being investigated by the SBI in cooperation with the SBU and the National Police, and the Sumy Specialized Defense Prosecutor’s Office of the Central Region is providing procedural guidance.
