In Ukraine, a lieutenant colonel of the Armed Forces is suspected of extorting money from servicemen for processing rewards for destroyed Russian equipment. According to the investigation, the officer demanded 380,000 hryvnias out of almost 2 million hryvnias in payments due to the military.
This was reported on November 11 by the Office of the Prosecutor General.
According to law enforcement, the suspect was part of a military unit's working group responsible for confirming the destruction of enemy equipment during combat operations.
According to the investigation, the officer decided to receive 20% of the rewards due to servicemen for the smooth processing of payment documents.
In September 2026, during a meeting in Pavlohrad, the lieutenant colonel, as law enforcement officers claim, demanded 380,000 hryvnias from the deputy commander of a unit. In exchange for this money, he promised to ensure the preparation of necessary documents and the issuance of orders for the timely receipt of rewards totaling about 2 million hryvnias.
In early November, according to the prosecutor's office, the officer received the agreed amount, after which he was detained.
The lieutenant colonel was notified of suspicion under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - receiving an unlawful benefit by an official. The court chose a preventive measure in the form of detention with the possibility of bail in the amount of 998,000 hryvnias.
Prosecutors also filed a motion to seize a mobile phone and a Lexus car.
The Office of the Prosecutor General notes that this is the first documented case in Ukraine of extorting unlawful benefits for processing payments to the military for destroyed enemy equipment.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing. According to the Constitution of Ukraine, the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court verdict.
