Former MP Yehor Soboliev is accused of unauthorized abandonment of his unit

Former MP Yegor Sobolev is under investigation for unauthorized absence from his unit.

This information comes from sources in the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The materials of the criminal case assert that Sobolev, who has been listed as a machine gunner in the 251st Territorial Defense Battalion since May 2022, was “spending his time as he saw fit and attending to personal matters” instead of fulfilling combat tasks. The State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine believes this occurred with the assistance of the then-battalion commander, Serhiy Kasprov.

Despite this, the ex-deputy was receiving monetary compensation, including “combat” payments exceeding 100,000 hryvnias (about 2,300 euros) per month.

Sobolev remained listed in the battalion until early 2023. Currently, according to official data, he serves as the commander of a UAV company within military unit A4124 (112th Territorial Defense Brigade). In January, he reported that he had been prematurely awarded the rank of lieutenant in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.