The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) have uncovered a large-scale military property theft scheme involving the deputy commander of a military unit in Kharkiv region.
"Suspicion notices have been served on: the former deputy commander of the military unit — under Part 5 of Art. 27, Part 4 of Art. 410 (theft of military property), Part 4 of Art. 368 (receipt of unlawful benefit), and Art. 366-3 (failure to declare) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine; and the scheme’s organizer — under Part 3 of Art. 369 (providing unlawful benefit) of the Criminal Code," NABU said.
According to the investigation, during 2022–2024 a group of companies and individual entrepreneurs effectively controlled by 2 individuals supplied armored vehicle spare parts worth over UAH 350 million to state defense enterprises. No legal sources for these goods existed, and some of the supplied property had previously been stored at a Kharkiv Oblast military unit and written off at the start of the full-scale invasion as "destroyed as a result of Russian missile and bomb strikes."
The scheme was facilitated by the former deputy commander of the military unit, who systematically evaded accounting for and safeguarding military property entrusted to him. According to investigators, he received unlawful benefit from the scheme’s organizer in a concealed form — as payment for household appliances, construction materials, and other personal goods totaling at least UAH 2.8 million.
The investigation is ongoing. Other possible participants in the crime are being identified.
