Sold "vampires" and "mavics" intended for AFU: SBI has exposed battery commander in Kharkiv region. VIDEO&PHOTOS
A battery commander who organized the sale of drones intended for the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the front lines has been detained in the Kharkiv region.
This was reported by the State Bureau of Investigation’s press service, according to Censor.NET.
Details
Thus, the commander sold unmanned aerial systems, including the "Vampire" and "Mavic" models.
Some of the equipment was recorded as unaccounted for or allegedly lost during combat operations. Consequently, the drones never reached the units for which they were purchased.
"The perpetrator sold the systems primarily to volunteers who are trying to support the army at their own expense. In other words, equipment that was supposed to be sent directly to the front lines was resold to those who assist the military," the statement reads.
The sale of six "Vampire" UAVs and one "DJI Matrice 30T" for $50,000 was documented.
The commander was detained while receiving the funds.
The scale could be even larger
During searches of the commander’s premises, the State Bureau of Investigation seized over 1.5 million hryvnias in cash, as well as drone components, documentation, and certificates.
It has been established that, through fraudulent schemes, the officer acquired property worth at least 11 million hryvnias.
"He and his family now own houses in Zaporizhzhia and Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, four apartments on the Black Sea coast near the village of Fontanka, as well as commercial real estate in Odesa Oblast. Incidentally, the officer purchased apartments in a luxury building in Fontanka on the Black Sea coast for every member of his family.
He moved his parents and his wife’s parents there; another apartment was intended for rent, and the fourth was exclusively for the officer and his wife’s vacations. He went there practically every weekend. He and his wife were also frequent guests at local restaurants. But even while vacationing in Odesa, he didn’t forget about his drone trade. In addition, he acquired a fleet of luxury vehicles: an Audi Q7, two Toyota Land Cruiser 200s, two premium-class Mercedes-Benz cars, as well as a DAF truck with a semi-trailer," the Bureau reported.
The officer has been notified of the suspicion and a preventive measure in the form of detention has been imposed, with the possibility of bail set at 10 million hryvnias.
He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Investigators are continuing to identify all individuals involved in the scheme and are also verifying information regarding other possible instances of the officer’s criminal activity.
