Odesa region: Former battalion commanders will be prosecuted for payments exceeding 1 million UAH
The specialized military prosecutor's office in Odesa, in the Southern region, has submitted a case involving two former battalion commanders to court. According to the investigation, during the period from 2025 to 2026, they signed reports falsely claiming the participation of 19 military personnel in combat operations, which resulted in over 1 million hryvnias in unjustified payments. The damages have been fully compensated; the defendants face up to six years in prison.
The specialized military prosecutor's office in Odesa, part of the Southern Regional Prosecutor's Office, has filed a criminal case with the court against two former battalion commanders of the Regional Command of Territorial Defense Forces. They are accused of abuse of power and official forgery.
According to the investigation, over the period from 2025 to 2026, the accused fabricated and signed reports containing false information about the alleged involvement of subordinates in carrying out combat missions. Based on these documents, 19 military personnel were awarded an additional bonus, "Defender's Award," although they were not actually in the areas where these missions were being carried out.
As a result, the state budget was unfairly depleted by more than 1 million UAH. During the preliminary investigation, the damages were fully compensated – both defendants returned the funds to the budget.
The case has now been transferred to court, where it will be examined in detail. Earlier, one of the accused was placed under house arrest with bail as an alternative, which he chose. If the men are found guilty of the charges, they could face up to six years in prison.