Battalion commander arrested for skimming soldiers' combat pay in monthly kickback scheme

According to investigators, the suspect demanded 200,000 hryvnias ($4,560) per month from personnel under his command in exchange for allowing them to serve without interference and shielding them from inspections that could have affected their pay.

Officers detained the suspect as he was receiving another installment of the extorted funds. He has been formally charged and faces up to 10 years in prison with asset confiscation if convicted.

Sources in law enforcement identified the suspect to Ukrainska Pravda as Lt. Col. Roman Melnyk, commander of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 128th Separate Heavy Mechanized Brigade of the 17th Army Corps.

Investigators carried out eight searches across the Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, and Zaporizhzhya oblasts — at the unit's temporary deployment location and at addresses and vehicles associated with the suspect. Officers seized more than 1.6 million hryvnias ($36,483) in cash, mobile phones, computers, flash drives, and handwritten notes.

The arrests come two days after the National Police announced on May 4 that it had conducted searches targeting current and former officials at territorial recruitment centers across the country. A total of 40 investigative actions were carried out in 16 regions, with vehicles, motorcycles, and cash in both Ukrainian and foreign currencies seized.