The Donetsk Specialised Prosecutor’s Office for Defence in the Eastern Region has referred an indictment to court against a serviceman from one of the military units in the Donetsk region. He is accused of stealing military property whilst martial law was in force: according to the investigation, he took possession of 16 «General Chereshnya» FPV drones and subsequently sold them. The alleged losses to the military unit amount to 558,400 hryvnias.
Briefly about the main points
- The indictment against a serviceman from one of the military units in the Donetsk region has been referred to the court.
- The investigation alleges that he stole property whilst martial law was in force.
- The drones were assigned to the unit for combat operations.
- Following the alleged sale, the police arrested the sergeant.
- A person’s guilt can only be established by a court’s conviction.
Investigation: a member of the armed forces took advantage of his access to property
According to the investigation, the defendant was a senior combat medic in the unmanned aerial vehicle company of a mechanised battalion. In January 2026, prosecutors allege, he decided to unlawfully appropriate military property for the purpose of resale and personal gain.
The drones were on the military unit’s books and had been handed over to the unit to carry out combat missions. According to the investigation, the serviceman took advantage of the access to this equipment that he had as part of his duties and stole 16 FPV drones.
Investigators state that on 30 May 2026, near the Kharkiv region, a member of the armed forces sold drones for 105,000 hryvnias. He was subsequently detained by law enforcement officers in accordance with Article 208 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. During a search of the scene, cash was seized, FPV drones and their accessories.
Pre-trial measures and the trial stage of proceedings
Following a motion by the prosecutor, the court ordered the defendant to be remanded in custody, subject to the possibility of bail. He is charged with an offence under Part 4 of Article 410 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The referral of the indictment marks the transition of the proceedings to the trial stage, but does not constitute a verdict. In accordance with Article 62 of the Constitution, a person is presumed innocent until their guilt has been proven in accordance with the law and established by a court conviction.
