In Sumy region, a Ukrainian Armed Forces major has become the center of a scandal due to a large-scale corruption scheme that led to illegal enrichment of over 2
4 million hryvnias. The exposure of this fraud resulted from thorough work by investigative agencies, including the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), in cooperation with the Office of the Prosecutor General and the National Police. According to official information, the incident occurred at the end of 2024, when the head of a unit at one of the military parts in Sumy proposed an easy and quick way for subordinates to earn money. He devised the idea of artificially registering fictitious business trips to the combat zone in Kharkiv region. In reality, the servicemen continued to perform their duties at the headquarters in Sumy, but they were paid combat allowances—up to 170,000 hryvnias monthly each, even during the peak combat periods, based on these “official” documents. According to the investigation, the main suspect—the major—not only issued false orders but also collected money from subordinates for his own enrichment, which they had to give him in cash. Military personnel who doubted or refused to participate in this fraudulent scheme were threatened—namely, they were warned they would be sent to real combat zones, which threatened their lives and safety. Investigation data indicate that most of these illegal payments remained in the major’s possession, while the soldiers only received around 30,000 hryvnias in hand from the total monthly sums. Over the three months the scheme operated, the fraud netted the major over 2.4 million hryvnias—funds obtained through falsified documents and abuse of official position during wartime. A criminal case has been opened under an article for exceeding authority under conditions of martial law, resulting in serious consequences (Part 5, Article 426-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The major faces up to 12 years in prison. A preventive measure has already been chosen—bail set at 900,000 hryvnias. It is worth noting that this case is not isolated: in June of this year, also in Sumy region, SBI officers uncovered a group of military personnel demanding money from soldiers who had voluntarily left their units. They offered to return to service for payment and even threatened some soldiers with harm if they refused. A broad campaign is ongoing to expose and eliminate similar corruption schemes and malicious practices by servicemen who misuse their official positions for personal gain. These events once again highlight the need for increased oversight and transparency within military structures, as well as serious consequences for those attempting to profit from war and undermine the trust of Ukrainian defenders. Moreover, investigators and law enforcement urge servicemen in the combat zone to remain vigilant and report any cases of abuse to prevent similar corruption practices in the future.