In Donetsk region, military personnel to be tried for unjustified payments worth millions of hryvnias

The State Bureau of Investigation has completed an investigation into three officials of one military unit in Donetsk region. Due to improper verification of documents, servicemen were unjustifiably paid over 4.3 million hryvnias of additional remuneration for participation in combat operations.

This was reported on October 9 by the press service of the SBI reported. The indictments have already been sent to court.

According to the investigation, the defendants are the acting chief of logistics, the head of medical service, and the acting rifle company commander.

According to their official duties, they had to verify and document the direct participation of subordinates in combat missions.

However, as the investigation established, the officials signed and submitted reports with unverified information about the participation of servicemen in combat operations on the territory of Donetsk region.

Based on these documents, subordinates were accrued additional payments, although in fact during the indicated periods they did not perform the corresponding combat missions.

At the initiative of the SBI, the Internal Audit Service of the Ministry of Defense conducted an audit of the military unit. The audit confirmed that as a result of the unjustified accrual of payments, the state suffered damage in the amount of over 4.3 million hryvnias.

Three officials have been charged with negligent attitude to military service in conditions of martial law under Part 4 of Article 425 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

If found guilty, the defendants face up to eight years of imprisonment.

To ensure compensation for damage, investigators seized movable and immovable property of the defendants.

Procedural guidance was provided by the Luhansk Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the sphere of defense of the Eastern region.

Earlier, on August 27, the SBI reported suspicion to the same three officials as part of operation “Justice for Fighters”. Then investigators established the circumstances of the unjustified accrual of additional payments to servicemen. Now the pre-trial investigation is completed, and the case has been referred to court.

Until a guilty verdict is passed, all defendants are considered innocent.