In the case of abuses within the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, new charges and suspicions have emerged
According to information obtained from official sources of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the investigation has progressed quite significantly in uncovering a large-scale corruption scheme, considered to be one of the largest in military circles in recent years. This revealed a systemic crime linked to illegal financial schemes on the front lines, and there are already concrete suspicions against several officials, including military personnel. According to SBI representatives, the perpetrators in this case face multiple articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, including — Article 255 (creation of a criminal organization), Article 191 (misappropriation of property causing especially large damages), Article 426-1 (abuse of authority in a state of martial law), as well as articles related to official forgery (366), evasion of military service (409), illegal circulation of weapons (410), imprisonment (146), and threats of murder (129). This indicates the seriousness and scale of the committed offenses, which include corruption, abuse of power, and even the use of violence. An official representative of the SBI emphasized that the main suspect in the case is currently the deputy commander of the brigade, Major Ruslan Shelest, who was detained in December 2024. He is accused of creating a criminal organization, misappropriating state funds, abusing his official position, and other violations. In addition, suspicions have been announced against other members of the criminal group — particularly the head of the supply unit, Major Oleg Sinyahovsky, detained in January. Several soldiers have also been involved in this scheme — a total of four servicemen accused of forming and participating in a criminal organization, misappropriation, and evasion of military service. Preliminary investigation indicates that the organizers of the crime illegally calculated combat allowances for servicemen who, in reality, did not perform their assigned duties. This allowed the perpetrators to augment their personal finances at the expense of the state, with part of the funds being transferred to the leadership. The total amount of illegal payments exceeded 5 million hryvnias. Overall, seven members of the criminal group were involved, four of whom directly managed the financial part of the scheme. The detained individuals are also suspected of involvement in weapon theft, unlawful imprisonment, and threats to life. It is evident that the scale of damages inflicted on the state — over five million hryvnias — will serve as a substantial basis for severe penalties, as the articles under which the military personnel are accused envisage imprisonment for up to 15 years with confiscation of property. The investigation also reports the seizure of significant amounts of money and property, which must be reimbursed to the state. Regarding the mechanics of the scheme, the investigation established that during active hostilities in 2024, the leaders of this group organized an illegal scheme for obtaining and distributing allowances. They forged reports and documents that enabled soldiers to receive additional financial compensation — essentially, for being stationed at fabricated frontline positions. The number of fake attestations and false data could reach several dozen servicemen, allowing the perpetrators to embezzle tens of millions of hryvnias meant for supporting the troops. Therefore, law enforcement agencies have already transferred to the Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) valuable movable and immovable property, as well as nearly 7 million hryvnias seized during searches. This represents the first step toward restoring justice and returning funds to the state budget. Pre-trial investigation in this case is ongoing, and bank, technical, and operational measures are currently focused on locating and preparing evidence against other involved persons. According to investigation data, about 50 other soldiers also received illegal allowances for fictitious participation in combat operations. The SBI states that these facts will be investigated separately from the main group because it involves a systemic large-scale scheme affecting many military units. Overall, this case marks a new chapter in the fight against military corruption, which, during wartime, poses no less a danger than external threats. Ukrainian law enforcement continues active efforts to identify all those involved and to respond swiftly and effectively to these violations. Depending on the scope of damages and the level of guilt, all involved may face strict and uncompromising punishments. This will send a clear signal to military personnel and commanders that corruption and criminal schemes within their ranks will not go unpunished.