A large-scale scheme of fuel embezzlement for the Armed Forces of Ukraine was uncovered in Ukraine
The State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine has uncovered a large-scale scheme of embezzling diesel fuel intended for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Two military personnel have been detained on suspicion of selling 718 tons of fuel worth about 28 million UAH.
The suspected organizers of the scheme are the head of the military equipment, weapons, and logistics service of a battalion and a soldier of the supply battalion in one of the military units in Dnipropetrovsk region. According to the investigation, since 2025, they have been selling the fuel to private entrepreneurs, mainly in the cargo transportation sector, in five regions: Dnipropetrovsk, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, and Chernivtsi. There were also cases of selling specially tinted diesel fuel intended exclusively for military units on the front line.
One of the military personnel was detained on November 5 during another attempt to “drain” 20 tons of diesel to an entrepreneur from Kyiv region. During searches at the unit’s location, more than 30 tons of fuel prepared for sale and “black accounting” were seized. Another participant in the scheme — a battalion official — was detained in Dnipropetrovsk region.
The suspects in the case have been notified of suspicion of embezzlement of military property committed under martial law. They face up to 15 years of imprisonment. Currently, the issue of selecting a preventive measure is being resolved. The SBI is also checking the possible involvement of other military personnel in this scheme.
Law enforcement officers released recordings of conversations where the suspects discuss purchasing and refueling the base with red-colored fuel intended for military purposes, as well as one of the soldiers offering diesel fuel for 40 UAH, and they discuss purchasing stolen fuel and withdrawing cash.
This incident is part of a broader context of abuses among Ukrainian military personnel. On October 7, the State Bureau of Investigation reported that in Pokrovsky district, an officer forced soldiers to cook shawarma and repair his house instead of serving for almost two years. On October 13, law enforcement officials announced that an officer in Lviv region forced military personnel to lay paving stones and erect monuments for a familiar entrepreneur instead of serving. Below is an infographic on the distribution of the embezzled fuel among the regions.
| Region | Amount of sold fuel (tons) |
|---|---|
| Dnipropetrovsk | 200 |
| Kyiv | 150 |
| Mykolaiv | 120 |
| Odesa | 100 |
| Chernivtsi | 148 |
