Fake Combat Payments of ₴12 Million: Two National Guard Colonels Charged

According to a statement from the press service of the Office of the General Prosecutor, reported by Ukrinform, an investigation conducted in March 2025 revealed that officials within the National Guard authorized the calculation and payment of additional bonuses to 164 servicemen for the period from December 2024 to February 2025. These payments were allegedly made for the execution of combat and special tasks, including the maintenance of platoon strongholds.

Law enforcement agencies discovered that the National Guard unit had been assigned to maintain seven such strongholds located in the Kryvyi Rih district of Dnipropetrovsk region, which were situated outside of combat zones. However, the actual execution of these tasks during the specified period is not supported by any documentation. This indicates that the servicemen received payments for services that were, in fact, never rendered.

The average amount received by each serviceman ranged from 85,000 to 90,000 hryvnias over three months. The total losses incurred by the state as a result of these fraudulent activities exceeded 11.9 million hryvnias. This information has been corroborated by a forensic economic examination. Measures are currently being taken to recover the excess funds paid back to the budget.

The colonels are charged with violating part 4 of Article 425 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which stipulates responsibility for negligent conduct in military service that leads to severe consequences in conditions of martial law. This is a serious accusation that could have far-reaching consequences for the accused.

As previously reported by Ukrinform, the employees of the State Bureau of Investigations completed a preliminary investigation into fraudulent military payments in Zaporizhzhia. In this case, staff members received nearly 700,000 hryvnias in combat bonuses, which also sparked widespread public outcry.

These incidents highlight significant issues within the military payment control system that require urgent resolution. In times of war, when the state's resources are limited, such abuses can have catastrophic consequences for the country's defense capabilities and the welfare of servicemen who are genuinely fulfilling their duties at the front.

In light of these events, it is crucial for both society and law enforcement agencies to continue closely monitoring financial flows in the military sector to prevent similar cases in the future. Only through transparency and accountability can effective use of budgetary funds in this critically important area be ensured.

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