BMW, apartments, and Bali: Air Assault Forces major to be tried for illegal enrichment

The Dnipro Specialized Defense Prosecutor's Office of the Eastern Region has sent to court indictments against the head of the food service of one of the military units of the Air Assault Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and his subordinate. The major is accused, among other things, of illegal enrichment, receiving unlawful benefits, fraud, draft evasion, and money laundering.

According to the investigation, in 2023-2025 the serviceman acquired assets totaling UAH 26.2 million, the legality of which has not been confirmed. Among the property listed by the prosecutor's office are a BMW X6 M, two apartments in Dnipro, a parking space, a long-term lease right for a property in Bali, as well as branded clothing and accessories.

Separately, investigators established that the major spent about UAH 4.1 million on foreign travel. The case file mentions trips to Peru, the United States, Japan, the UAE, Colombia, Argentina, Hawaii, and Bora Bora, as well as a cruise to Antarctica.

According to the prosecution, in June 2025 the major also received USD 10,000 from his subordinate for using his official position in the supply of food to servicemen. The investigation claims that the actual products delivered did not match the names in the documents: in particular, cucumbers were supplied instead of tomatoes, and oranges instead of apples.

In addition, the serviceman is accused of 83 days of draft evasion during 2024-2025. According to the investigation, after certain vacations abroad he reported to the command about his return to the unit, although he actually remained outside Ukraine. In other cases, he allegedly stayed without legal grounds in Khmelnytskyi and Odesa regions. During this time, as claimed by the prosecution, he was groundlessly accrued over UAH 549,000 in pay and additional remuneration.

During searches, more than USD 51,000, EUR 2,100, and UAH 201,000 were seized from the major, along with real estate and vehicle documents, as well as a collection of branded clothing, footwear, and accessories worth approximately over UAH 8 million. The prosecutor's office also reported promissory notes for USD 120,000.

The major was detained on February 5, 2026. The court chose detention as a pretrial restraint for him, and personal recognizance for his subordinate. The accused faces up to 10 years in prison. Under the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court conviction.

According to: Prosecutor General's Office