SBU blocks payment of pensions to Russian-backed fighters

"The illegal scheme was organized by an internally displaced person from the Luhansk region, who has been living in Kharkiv for a long time. In return for monetary remuneration, the dealer offered residents of temporarily occupied territories the assistance in the illegal accrual of pensions and other types of state social assistance. With the assistance of employees of the departments of the pension fund, labor and social protection of the population, as well as employees of banking institutions businessmen, the dealer issued documents for citizens permanently residing in certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Fighters of terrorist organizations 'LPR/DPR,' as well as dead persons, were found among them," the report reads.

During eight searches conducted at the premises of suspects in the case, more than 800 illegally issued bank cards and documents proving multimillion-hryvnia scams with social payments were seized.

The organizer of the illegal scheme was served with a notice of suspicion.

Investigative procedures are underway to find out the real scale of the scam and to prosecute other persons involved in illegal activity.

op