Ukrainian military commissar sent to frontline after becoming dollar millionaire

The Odesa regional territorial center for recruitment and social support reported the information.

"The command unequivocally condemns any means of illicit enrichment, abuse of office and will not allow such transactions to be covered up by military service," the statement said.

Military commissar Smirnov and two servicemen of the security company of the territorial recruitment center were transferred to one of the brigades performing tasks on the frontline.

Investigators of the State Bureau of Investigation opened a criminal case on suspicion of illegal enrichment of Smirnov, "The law enforcement agencies have initiated an investigation into the published information within their competence."

Disclaimer: In accordance with part one of Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and shall not be subjected to criminal punishment until his or her guilt is proved in accordance with the law and established by a court verdict of guilty.

Context

Recently, it was reported that a military officer from Yuzhne, who is also a member of the local city council from Batkivshchyna party, Yehor Smirnov, became a "dollar millionaire" during the full-scale war. According to social media, the military commissariat has acquired several hectares of land on the Black Sea, 500 square meters of commercial real estate, and a 938-square-meter parking lot.

They also wrote that he avoided rotation to the front along with two other MPs.

What is known about the situation with the regional territorial center for recruitment and social support 

Following the publication of a Battalion Spain investigation by Ukrainska Pravda journalists into the purchase of a villa by the head of the Odesa Regional Territorial Recruitment Center, Yevhen Borysov, at the end of 2022, the authorities began inspections of the regional territorial center for recruitment and social support. Borisov purchased a villa in the Spanish resort of Marbella. Its cost is almost EUR 4 million. The head of the Odesa Territorial Recruitment Center registered the real estate not in his name, but in the name of his retired mother. Borisov's wife became the owner of an office space on the main street of Marbella.

The South Operational Command responded to the head’s trip abroad stating, "It was established that his travel abroad at that time was absolutely authorized and permitted." However, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the scandal with the head of the Odesa Territorial Recruitment Center, Yevhen Borysov, and ordered his dismissal.

On June 28, it became known that Yevhen Borysov no longer holds the position of head of the Odesa Territorial Recruitment Center. Subsequently, the Ministry of Defense promised to react harshly and bring military officers to justice for unworthy behavior.

On July 4, it became known that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valeriy Zaluzhnyi appointed a new head of the Odesa Territorial Recruitment Center. The new head was Colonel Oleksandr Okhrimenko.

Working groups of the Ministry of Defense received more than 2.3 thousand appeals from citizens regarding corruption in the Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centers. The State Bureau of Investigation announced 21 suspicions.

On July 27, the State Bureau of Investigation exposed the heads of the regional and district military enlistment offices in the Rivne region who had beaten and mocked a soldier. Drugs were also found on one of the officials. Two days later, the court imprisoned the head of the Rivne Regional Territorial Recruitment Center, who is suspected of beating the soldier.

The SBU also detained an official of the military registration and enlistment office in the Poltava region who could have helped men evade military service in exchange for bribes.  

In addition, the prosecutor's office is investigating the illegal enrichment of the head of the Dnipropetrovsk territorial center for recruitment and social support, searches have been conducted.

During nearly 100 searches in the territorial centers of recruitment and social support in 11 regions of Ukraine, law enforcement officers uncovered a scheme to avoid military service.  

On August 1, it was reported that law enforcement officers detained an intermediary who received about UAH 400,000 in bribes for repairing barracks for mobilized soldiers in the Odesa region.