Deep scheme of fictitious service of “dead souls”: officers caused the state over 7 million hryvnias
Four military officers have been exposed in a large-scale corruption scheme that led to losses to the state of over 7.7 million hryvnias, the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine reports. These officers, including the former commander of the electronic warfare battalion and his colleagues, created and implemented a scheme of fictitious conscription of citizens to serve in the Armed Forces. Their actions not only caused significant material losses, but also undermined confidence in the country's defense system. According to the investigation, the specified officials - the former commander of a separate electronic warfare battalion, his deputy, responsible for logistics, as well as the company commander - registered "for service" military personnel who did not actually exist. They artificially created a favorable picture of fictitious conscription of citizens, which allowed them to receive additional payments and provisions from the state budget. According to suspicion, during the operation of the criminal scheme, this group of officers illegally appropriated more than 7.7 million hryvnias, which were intended for military needs. In addition, from the sale of excess food supplies, they received additional illegal profit by selling or reselling "supply" outside official channels. Prosecutors qualify their activities under Part Four of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - appropriation of someone else's property by abuse of official position, committed repeatedly and on a large scale in difficult circumstances of martial law and in an organized group. This is a gross violation of the law, which carries serious criminal consequences for the perpetrators and undermines the foundations of the state defense mechanism in times of crisis. From history: at the end of June this year, the general public became aware of the detention of Marianna Kiziyarova (formerly Miroshnychenko), a deputy of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, who is suspected of creating a fictitious service to receive illegal payments and create a positive image. The court has already chosen a preventive measure for her - detention or bail, which emphasizes the importance and seriousness of the fight against corruption in the military and state structures. This case emphasizes the need to strengthen control over the state of military service and combat corruption schemes that undermine the country's defense capability and stability in the matter of protecting state interests in wartime.