Under the procedural guidance of the Dnipro Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the field of defense of the Eastern region, a former commander of a military unit in Dnipro has been notified of suspicion. He is accused of aiding desertion and obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine under martial law (Part 5 of Article 27, Part 4 of Article 408, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation established that the former commander, together with two civilians, organized the escape of servicemen directly from the units. The accomplices were responsible for the payment and transportation of the "clients." This cost between 5,000 to 7,000 US dollars. The money was received in cash, and the transportation was carried out secretly to avoid attracting the attention of the command.

Law enforcement documented an attempt to smuggle two soldiers out of a training center. The suspects promised "full protection" – from transportation to cover in case of inspections. During the transfer of part of the agreed sum, the organizer and his accomplices were caught "in the act." Their actions posed a real threat to defense capability: the number of personnel was decreasing, and the execution of combat tasks was being disrupted.

Prosecutors presented the suspect with a motion for a preventive measure in the form of detention. Two of his accomplices were also detained. 

Other possible episodes of their criminal activity and the involvement of officers from the military unit in the scheme are being investigated.

It is worth noting that the organizer is involved in the case of the fictitious service of a deputy of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council. He was one of those who helped her serve only "on paper." The court found him guilty of aiding in evading military service and embezzlement of someone else's property (Part 5 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 4 of Article 409, Part 4 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine) and, considering his remorse, imposed a sentence with a probation period of 3 years. 

After that, he was removed from his position and demoted from lieutenant colonel to major, and since April, he has been at the disposal of the unit commander.

Despite this, the major continued his criminal activities. At the time of his arrest, he was in a gambling establishment in Dnipro, where he regularly spent his leisure time. During a search, 3,800 US dollars, which he had not yet managed to lose, were seized from him.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Territorial Administration of the State Bureau of Investigation in Poltava with operational support from the Security Service of Ukraine in the Dnipropetrovsk region.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.