Under the procedural supervision of the Lviv Specialised Defence Prosecutor’s Office of the Western Region, an organised criminal group consisting of the acting head of the fuel and lubricants depot, the head of the fuel storage facility, two soldiers and a local resident were served suspicion notices of stealing military property under martial law (Art. 27, parts 2-5, Art. 410, part 4 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
According to the investigation, the head of the warehouse instructed the soldiers to dump fuel into tanks every day and take it out of the unit to a private house, whose owner found customers and sold the goods. The accomplices distributed the money earned among themselves.
It has been established that the suspects set up this criminal scheme in April this year, and every month they managed to sell about 20 tonnes of fuel and lubricants. The estimated cost of one tonne was UAH 37,500.
During 19 authorised searches of the defendants’ residences and cars, the SBU found and seized money, more than 5 tonnes of fuel and documents confirming their illegal activities.
Prosecutors have now filed a motion with the court to impose custody as a measure of restraint. The involvement of other persons is being checked.
The pre-trial investigation is being carried out by investigators of the Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation located in Lviv, with the operational support of the State Bureau of Investigation.
For reference: the sanction of the article provides for 10 to 15 years of imprisonment.
Note: In accordance with 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.
Press service of the Specialised Prosecutor’s Office
for the Defence of the Western Region