Over 47 million hryvnias for "paper" FPV drones: criminal organisation exposed in Donetsk region, - Office of Prosecutor General. PHOTOS
Under the procedural guidance of the Specialised Prosecutor's Office for the Eastern Region, investigators from the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) in Kramatorsk uncovered a criminal organisation operating within one of the military units that was embezzling budget funds allocated for defence procurement.
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, according to Censor.NET.
What is known?
In 2024, the former commander of the military unit created a stable hierarchical structure, involving active military personnel responsible for planning purchases, receiving property and processing documentation, as well as a civilian who ensured interaction with suppliers.
Instead of actually supplying the unit with equipment, the members of the criminal organisation focused on the paperwork for the purchases. Between April and December 2024, they concluded 37 contracts for the alleged supply of FPV drones and optical equipment. The drones, for which tens of millions of hryvnias were paid, were never actually delivered to the military unit, and some of the sights were replaced with much cheaper products.
Inaccurate information was entered into official documents
Official documents, which were drawn up without the actual delivery of goods, played a key role in the scheme. It was on the basis of these documents that the "fulfilment" of contracts was confirmed and budget funds were transferred. The actual absence of the declared equipment or its non-compliance with technical specifications was concealed by entering false information into official documents.
Losses
The total amount of damage caused to the state budget exceeded 47 million hryvnias. The funds were received under the guise of fulfilling defence contracts, which directly affected the actual provision of military units in conditions of martial law.
Detentions and suspicions
It is noted that on 12 January 2026, members of a criminal organisation were detained in Kramatorsk in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.
They have been notified of suspicion under articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine that provide for liability for:
- creation of and participation in a criminal organisation,
- misappropriation of budget funds on an especially large scale,
- official forgery.
A motion has been filed with the court to impose a preventive measure in the form of detention.
On 13 January 2026, the prosecutor's motion was granted and preventive measures in the form of detention without bail were imposed on five participants.
The pre-trial investigation is ongoing.
