The State Bureau of Investigations is conducting a special operation, «Justice for Soldiers», in military units across the Kyiv, Chernihiv, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zhytomyr regions. Over 70 searches are planned; more than 20 individuals under investigation may be served with notices of suspicion on 20 August. The SBI has confirmed the operation and stated that it is cooperating with the leadership of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Briefly about the main points
- Investigators have planned more than 70 searches at military units across nine regions.
- The State Bureau of Investigation’s operation is called «Justice for Soldiers».
- They are investigating possible «ghost voters», corruption and illegal payments.
- More than 20 individuals involved in the case may be served with a notice of suspicion on 20 August.
- The «Honest Conscription» operation at the TCC in July was a separate event.
Where do investigative procedures take place?
Searches are planned in parts of nine regions. As well as the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, they cover the Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zhytomyr regions.
According to a source within the law enforcement agencies speaking to *Ukrainska Pravda*, the operation was named «Justice for Soldiers». The State Bureau of Investigation stated that its aim was to minimise negative incidents within military units as much as possible.
What possible breaches are they checking for?
Investigators are focusing on possible «ghost soldiers» in military units, instances of corruption, illegal payments and the use of military personnel as unpaid labour.
The bureau stated that the operations are being carried out in close cooperation with the leadership of the General Staff. The State Bureau of Investigation has promised to provide details of the operation at a later date. The possible notification of suspicion is a procedural decision and does not imply that the person’s guilt has been proven.
Previous operation by the State Bureau of Investigation at the TCC
At the end of July, the bureau launched a separate operation, «Fair Conscription», across more than 100 regional recruitment and social support centres in most regions of Ukraine. It also focused on potential abuses within the military.
As of 31 July, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) reported that, as part of 17 criminal investigations, it had carried out 61 searches, notified 15 suspects of the charges against them and detained two people. «Honest Conscription» and the current inspections of military units are separate initiatives.
