Unit commander exposed in a 15-million scheme involving drones from the "Army of Drones" project

Law enforcement officers have uncovered an interregional scheme for embezzling drones transferred to the military within the framework of the state project "Army of Drones." This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, writes UNN.

Details

According to the investigation, the organizer of the scheme was the commander of a unit of one of the Armed Forces of Ukraine's military units, who acted together with two civilian accomplices. From November 2024 to March 2026, he allegedly established a systematic illegal write-off of drones that were registered and used at the front.

The drones were written off as supposedly lost or destroyed, after which they were transferred to civilians for sale online using anonymous accounts. The scheme operated in several regions at once - including Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts.

"In total, the appropriation of more than 343 UAVs of various types totaling over UAH 15.2 million has been documented," the OGP reported.

According to the investigation, the funds received were spent on the purchase of real estate, cars, and valuables. It was separately established that in 2025, the commander illegally acquired assets worth more than UAH 10.7 million, registering them in the names of relatives.

During searches, law enforcement officers seized drones, components, cash, property documents, and premium-class cars.

The suspects are accused of misappropriating military property on a particularly large scale, and the commander is additionally accused of illicit enrichment. They have currently been remanded in custody.

The pre-trial investigation is ongoing, and the full circle of involved persons is being established. 

Нагадаємо: Скандал у київському ТЦК: поліція перевіряє побиття колишнього в’язня Кремля Володимира Балуха.