The servicewoman appeared on “MasterChef” while her unit thought she was receiving medical treatment
The SBI notified a female officer that she is suspected of evasion and fraud
A senior lieutenant in the Armed Forces of Ukraine has been notified of suspicion of evading military service and fraud. According to the State Bureau of Investigation, the officer was officially supposed to be receiving inpatient treatment, but investigators say she took part in filming the cooking TV show “MasterChef”.
The investigation concerns the period from April to August 2025. Military records listed the servicewoman as an inpatient at one of the military medical facilities. However, investigators claim that she spent most of this time away from the hospital: attending filming sessions for the TV show and taking care of personal matters in Kyiv, Kharkiv and Odesa Oblast.
According to investigators, the woman did not perform her official duties during this period. Meanwhile, her unit’s command believed she was receiving treatment, so her military pay continued to be issued. The preliminary estimate of the damage to the state is nearly 250,000 hryvnias.
Law enforcement officers are also investigating the possible involvement of officials at the military medical facility. They are looking into whether the officials helped prepare documents claiming that the officer was receiving inpatient treatment despite her not actually being in the hospital.
The servicewoman has been notified of suspicion under the following provisions of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Part 4 of Article 409 — evasion of military service by deception under martial law;
- Part 3 of Article 190 — fraud committed under martial law and causing significant damages.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing: DBR investigators are establishing the circumstances of the case and identifying possible accomplices. The operation was carried out jointly with the Security Service of Ukraine, while procedural supervision is being provided by the specialized Darnytsia Prosecutor’s Office for the Central Region’s Defense Sector.
We previously reported:
- “Evacuation,” Ukrainian-style: for $15,000, they promised to hide someone from military service
- How an officer “received treatment” at a casino: a new episode in the military service evasion case
- An operation to find draft dodgers covered Mykolaiv Oblast and 19 other regions
- 20 million for fake servicemembers: how money is stolen during wartime
- OPZZh lawmaker to stand trial for evading military service and fraud
