Ukrainian security service arrests National Guard soldier over theft of drones and mines for sale

Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) has detained a National Guard soldier suspected of stealing weapons and ammunition from his combat unit, which operates in the Kharkiv region. Investigators say the man, having access to weaponry, decided to sell part of it on the side to earn extra money, while planning to continue writing off the stolen property as having been lost in combat.

Two sales

According to law enforcement, the soldier first sold 40 stolen drones along with anti-tank mine casings for 90,000 hryvnias. A few weeks later he put up for sale four ground robotic systems and eight anti-tank mines, valuing them altogether at 1 million hryvnias. He was detained after receiving payment for this second deal.

He is suspected of illegally acquiring, storing and distributing firearms and ammunition, as well as of stealing military property as an official during martial law. The man has been placed under arrest with the possibility of posting bail of nearly 2.5 million hryvnias. According to Ukrainska Pravda, the suspect was detained on 27 August, and as of now the bail has not been paid.