In the Dnipropetrovsk region, law enforcement officers have exposed a lieutenant-colonel in the Armed Forces of Ukraine who, according to the investigation, demanded 20 per cent of the monetary rewards from his subordinates for the destruction of Russian military equipment. In return for ensuring the smooth processing of these payments, the officer sought to receive around 380,000 hryvnias out of the nearly two million allocated to the servicemen. The Security Service of Ukraine reported the exposure of the scheme on 14 November.
- In the Dnipropetrovsk region, an officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been caught extorting money from his subordinates’ bonuses.
- The lieutenant-colonel wanted to receive 20 per cent of the payments for the destruction of Russian military equipment.
- Law enforcement officers arrested the official after he had received 380,000 hryvnias in bribes.
- The court remanded the suspect in custody; he faces up to ten years’ imprisonment.
How the scheme for payments to military personnel worked
The suspect held the post of senior officer in the unit responsible for studying and implementing best practice in the management of unmanned systems at one of the Ukrainian Armed Forces’ military units. According to information At the National Police, he also served as secretary to the working group responsible for reviewing evidence to confirm the destruction or capture of enemy equipment.
The investigation established that the official demanded that the command of one of the units hand over to him one-fifth of the rewards allocated to servicemen for destroying enemy targets. In return, the lieutenant-colonel promised to ensure that the necessary documents were processed in a timely manner. According to the police, should they refuse, he threatened to create obstacles to the receipt of funds.
Only In September, military personnel were paid 1.9 million hryvnias in bonuses. Of this sum, the officer demanded 380,000 hryvnias, which were to constitute his unlawful gain.
The lieutenant-colonel was arrested after receiving 380,000 hryvnias
According to the National Police, on 5 November, investigators arrested a lieutenant-colonel after he had received the full amount of the bribe. The handover of the money took place near a temporary deployment site for Ukrainian troops.
The operation was carried out by military counter-intelligence officers SBU in conjunction with the National Police, with the support of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The proceedings are being overseen by the Kryvyi Rih Specialised Prosecutor’s Office for Defence Matters in the Eastern Region.
The detainee was informed that he was suspected of part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for liability for the receipt of an unlawful benefit by a public official.
The court ordered the lieutenant-colonel to be remanded in custody, subject to bail set at 998,000 hryvnias. If found guilty, he faces up to ten years’ imprisonment and the confiscation of his property.
