The command of a Ukrainian Armed Forces battalion embezzled over €2 million through fake mobilization

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) and the National Police have detained members of the command of a Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) battalion in the Odessa region for embezzling nearly 100 million hryvnias (over €2 million).

This was reported by Interfax-Ukraine.

The suspects were involved in selling fake military draft exemptions and combatant ID cards. The scheme was organized by a former commander of a separate battalion stationed in the Sumy region. Under one method, battalion officers would fictitiously enroll local businesspeople and acquaintances into their unit in exchange for money.

According to the SBU, those who paid for a fake position in the battalion never actually appeared at the secure military facility. Instead, they transferred their monthly military salaries directly to the bank accounts of the battalion command.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree abolishing all medical and social expert commissions (MSECs) in the country starting at the end of 2024. This move is part of the government’s broader effort to combat abuse and corruption in the process of awarding disability status to officials.