Kyiv Resident Indicted for UAH 540,000 Fraudulent Procurement Scheme Targeting Volunteer Funding for Mavic Drones

A 54-year-old Kyiv woman is indicted for a 540,000 hryvnia fraud scheme that used a fake Telegram supplier profile to steal drone procurement funds.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 27, 2026, 11:34 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Interfax-Ukraine

The Mechanics of the Digital Procurement Scam

A sophisticated fraudulent operation targeting the Ukrainian volunteer movement has reached the judicial phase in the capital. According to the Kyiv City Prosecutor's Office, the scheme relied on a 54-year-old Kyiv resident whose bank accounts served as the primary repository for misappropriated funds. The organization of the fraud was allegedly spearheaded by the woman’s daughter, who established a deceptive presence on the Telegram messaging platform. By posing as a verified international supplier of DJI Mavic unmanned aerial vehicles, the group exploited the urgent demand for tactical equipment among civil society organizations and individual donors.

Exploiting Volunteer Networks During Martial Law

The criminal activity was specifically designed to infiltrate digital channels frequented by volunteers dedicated to supporting the national defense. According to investigators, the daughter of the accused provided her mother’s personal banking details to unsuspecting buyers who believed they were securing essential reconnaissance tools. Throughout 2024, multiple victims transferred a cumulative total of UAH 540,000 into these accounts. Despite these significant financial commitments, the promised Mavic drones were never dispatched to the front lines, and the perpetrators made no effort to issue refunds or provide logistical updates to the donors.

Legal Classification and Penalties Under Current Statutes

The actions of the accused have been formally classified under Part 4 of Article 190 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. According to the prosecutor's indictment, the charges reflect fraud committed through a prior conspiracy by a group of persons, specifically aggravated by the conditions of martial law and the large scale of the embezzlement. If convicted, the defendant faces a prison sentence ranging from three to eight years. The judicial proceedings in Kyiv are expected to set a precedent for how the state handles individuals who seek to profit from the disruption of volunteer-led military supply chains.