Fictitious "combat" payments totaling more than 3 million: a unit commander in the Mykolaiv region will stand trial

In the Mykolaiv region, the investigation into the commander of one of the military units, who is accused of organizing the unlawful allocation of combat payments to subordinates, has been completed. The damage to the state exceeded 3 million hryvnias. The indictment was already sent to court, the State Bureau of Investigation reported on 25 August 2026. The investigation was conducted as part of the special operation «Justice for Fighters».

According to the investigation, during 2024–2025 the suspect held the position of chief of staff — deputy commander of the military unit. He arranged additional payments for approximately 20 service members for the alleged performance of combat tasks on the Kherson front. In fact, as the DBR alleges, subordinates were not involved in such tasks. After receiving the money, the servicemembers were required to give the lieutenant colonel half of the payments they received.

According to investigators, the officer pressured servicemembers so they would not reveal the scheme. In particular, the lieutenant colonel allegedly threatened to send those who disagreed to perform real combat tasks. The total amount of damage caused to the state budget was estimated at more than 3 million hryvnias. The commander has been suspended from his duties. He is charged with abuse of office and official forgery, including actions committed by prior conspiracy of a group of persons:

• Part 2 of Art. 28, Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine;
• Part 1 of Art. 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine;
• Part 2 of Art. 28, Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

If convicted, the lieutenant colonel faces up to six years in prison.

Earlier we wrote:

• Commander of a unit in the Mykolaiv region suspected of allocating nonexistent combat payments
• 4.3 million in the rear: how in the Mykolaiv region they paid for “combat” that did not exist
• Fictitious combat operations and 430 thousand hryvnias: officer sent to trial
• Corruption in the military: how the deputy commander of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade profited from “dead souls”
• Commander involved servicemembers in building his house: they were credited with almost a million hryvnias in “combat” payments