Soldier sold equipment from unit’s storehouse, earning enough for a ‘Lexus’ — investigation
This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Odesa Specialised Prosecutor’s Office for Defence Matters.
According to the investigation, the warehouse manager embezzled military property worth over 6.2 million hryvnias.
Among the stolen items were reconnaissance drones and equipment for countering enemy drones, photographic equipment, a laptop and a charging station. The large-scale shortage was discovered during a stock-take.
The investigation established that between June 2023 and September 2025, the 28-year-old warehouse manager took the charging station home, pawned the laptop, and sold the rest of the military equipment to civilians, businesspeople and volunteers, including by post.
With the proceeds, in June 2025 he bought a Lexus car worth 400,000 hryvnias. He then resold it at a price twice the purchase price in order to ‘launder’ the funds. He lost another portion of the proceeds through gambling.
The law enforcement officer was notified of his status as a suspect in the theft of other military property through abuse of his official position; the misappropriation and embezzlement of property entrusted to an official and under their control; and the legalisation (laundering) of property obtained by criminal means (Article 410(4), Article 191(5) and Article 209(1) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The court imposed a pre-trial detention order on him, with the option of posting bail in the sum of 5.4 million hryvnias. He is currently in custody.
During the pre-trial investigation, the accused began to partially compensate the state for the losses incurred. He faces up to 15 years’ imprisonment for his offences.
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