The State Bureau of Investigation has uncovered a large-scale scheme to embezzle more than UAH 47 million of budget funds allocated for the purchase of FPV drones for the army. The scheme was carried out in one of the military units of Donetsk region under the leadership of a commander. This was reported by DBR and Specialized Defense Prosecutor's Office in the Eastern Region.

According to the investigation, in 2024, the former commander of the unit created a hierarchical structure involving three subordinates and a civilian businessman. The group organized the purchase of FPV drones and collimator sights, which was implemented only "on paper".

The money was transferred to the account of a military unit ostensibly for purchases for the army, but in fact it was transferred to fictitious companies for equipment that either did not exist at all or did not meet the requirements and could not be used in combat.

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Participants in the scheme prepared fictitious documents in advance – "market research", contracts, acts and invoices – to justify purchases from controlled companies. The money was then cashed out through these companies and divided among themselves.

According to law enforcement, in total, between April and December 2024, the scheme participants entered into 37 contracts under which they allegedly purchased 1,815 FPV drones. The total amount of damage to the state budget exceeded UAH 47 million.

During the investigation, SBI officers conducted more than 20 searches, seized unusable collimator sights, and ordered more than 70 examinations.

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All members of the criminal organization were detained in different regions of Ukraine – Donetsk, Dnipro, Kharkiv and Kyiv.

Photo: DBR
Photo: DBR

The commander of the military unit and his accomplices were served with a notice of suspicion of creating a criminal organization, embezzlement of budget funds on a large scale under martial law, and entering false information into official documents.

All the defendants were arrested without bail.

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