Fuel theft uncovered at military base in Lviv region
Source: Prosecutor’s office of Western Region
The State Bureau of Investigations (DBR) said on Friday its detectives have exposed a large-scale fuel theft scheme at a military base in the Lviv region. The operation was led by the manager of the its fuel storage house.
The criminal group included the fuel depot manager, two soldiers, and a local resident who was recruited to manage the sale of the stolen fuel. The soldiers transported the fuel out of the base, and the local resident sold it, dividing the profits among the group.
From April to December 2023, the group smuggled out at least 20 tons of fuel monthly. Prosecutors estimated the value of one ton of fuel at ₴37,500, meaning the group earned no less than ₴750,000 per month.
During searches, investigators seized cash, over five tons of fuel, and documents confirming the illegal activities. The investigation remains ongoing.
The DBR has charged five individuals with embezzling military property. If convicted, they face 10 to 15 years of imprisonment. Authorities have imposed pretrial detention on the suspects, allowing release only upon payment of bail.
In my previous column, I wrote about social innovations in Ukraine. Those innovations are part of civic resilience and the democratization of security, which Europe is paying close attention to right now. The EU is trying to work out how to spread responsibility for its own security across society as a whole, rather than leaving it to institutions alone. It is looking for concrete ways to bring ordinary people into the work of defense and resistance.
Petro Poroshenko’s lawyers have appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court demanding that NABU be obligated to register proceedings regarding the fact of exerting influence on the court and to recognize Petro Poroshenko as a victim in the case of the Deputy Head of the Office of the President, Iryna Mudra, due to her pressure on Supreme Court judges who were considering a lawsuit to overturn sanctions.
Internationally recognized brands and financial institutions should direct capital to Ukraine now, not waiting for the hostilities to end. This was emphasized by Rinat Akhmetov, president of FC Shakhtar, during a working visit to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, where he met with UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.
In recent days, Moscow’s official rhetoric has been dominated by hysteria over the decision of…
In 2025, the deadliest year yet for civilians, Ukraine’s three largest charitable foundations raised a record 105.9 billion hryvnias. It is more than the years 2022–2024 combined. According to the UN, humanitarian aid in Ukraine was delivered by more than 450 organisations, reaching five million people over the course of the year. Civic foundations hold licences to purchase lethal weapons, which is a function states have monopolised for centuries. These record sums were underwritten by international government grants, which means foreign states now channel billions directly through Ukrainian civic funds, bypassing inter-state channels. It is hard to imagine a stronger institutional trust in civil society.