Ukrainian authorities have uncovered a fraudulent scheme in which soldiers were unlawfully granted additional allowances for alleged participation in combat activities. The investigation revealed that this scheme caused damages exceeding 9.3 million hryvnias (approximately £160,000).

On March 30, 2026, it was reported that eight soldiers from a defense unit operating in the Donetsk region have been charged. Among the suspects are the battalion commander, the deputy for armaments, the head of the evacuation group, and soldiers from technical units.

According to the investigation, from February 2023 to September 2024, officials systematically provided false information in reports and other official documents regarding certain soldiers’ involvement in combat operations. In reality, these individuals were not engaged in combat tasks but were stationed in the rear. Despite this, they illegally received additional allowances of 100,000 hryvnias per month based on falsified documents.

Official records indicate that the battalion commander was the mastermind behind the fraud, exploiting his position to involve subordinates in the creation of fictitious reports, the approval of false lists, and the issuance of orders for the payment of additional allowances. After signing the documents, he forwarded them for execution, ensuring the completion of the illegal payments. The investigation suggests that he embezzled half of the funds.

Other participants in the fraud ensured its operation at various stages: they were aware of the inaccuracies in the documents yet approved and signed them, submitted lists containing false information, recorded fictitious data in official documentation, and facilitated the issuance of payment instructions.

Nearly a hundred proceedings have been initiated this year against Ukrainians working in the defense sector for corruption-related offenses. In 2026, Ukrainian authorities launched 65 criminal cases against employees in the defense sector related to the illegal payments of financial support and additional allowances to military personnel. The total established damage exceeds 116 million hryvnias (around £2 million).

Of this, 78.8 million hryvnias (£1.3 million) were embezzled by unlawfully granting additional allowances to individuals who did not participate in combat operations, 18.2 million hryvnias (£300,000) were embezzled by entering false data into financial documents, 3.4 million hryvnias (£60,000) were paid out unlawfully due to the negligence of military officials, and an additional 300,000 hryvnias (£5,000) was received as „reimbursement” for lawful payments to military personnel.