Ukrainian investigative authorities have dismantled a group that allegedly obtained military drones and then sold them back to the armed forces as new drones. Acting Prosecutor General Anton Kowalskyi announced this on Wednesday. According to the announcement, there are 16 suspects and 25 documented cases.
According to the Special Prosecutor’s Office for the Defence Sector of the Eastern Region, the State Border Guard Administration, the SBU Security Service, the National Police and the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR), a former soldier and accomplices organised the alleged schemes. They are said to have involved military personnel, civilian intermediaries and trading companies.
According to the Border Guard, the group is said to have been active at least since December 2025. Via their own Telegram channel, the participants reportedly sought soldiers who were willing to hand over drones from their units in exchange for money. The devices were allegedly taken to a workshop in Dnipropetrovsk region, where serial numbers were removed and markings and QR codes were changed. The same drones were then allegedly delivered back to the military via controlled companies – as new goods.
During more than 100 searches in nine regions and in Kyiv, the authorities seized more than 600 drones, according to Kowalskyi. More than 200 of them have already been identified as the property of military units, and the origin of the rest is being checked. The investigators estimate the value of the stolen military goods at around 16 million hryvnias. In addition, 13 million hryvnias, gold, silver, valuables and 15 cars were confiscated.
According to the Special Prosecutor’s Office, the alleged organiser and two alleged accomplices are in pre-trial detention, alternatively on bail of 9.98 million hryvnias each. For the other suspects, arrest warrants with bail of up to 6 million hryvnias were ordered. The investigations are ongoing; the State Bureau of Investigation is also examining possible involvement of military officials.
