According to a report published by Kommersant, Frolov and Colonel Artem Gorodilov orchestrated a plot in which 35 soldiers from the 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade self-inflicted injuries intentionally to receive compensation from the government. The total damage is estimated to exceed 200 million rubles, which is about 2.5 million dollars.
Frolov, who has three children, alleged that he sustained injuries seven times in combat, with official records indicating he declined medical leave to rejoin the front lines. State media depicted him as „an extraordinary hero and the leader of Russia’s most successful sniper group.” In truth, the injuries were sustained with assistance from fellow soldiers, ensuring his safety was not compromised.
In the midst of this corruption scandal within the Russian military, investigators discovered that soldiers wounded each other to secure fraudulent medical documentation, combat allowances, and valor decorations. Frolov initially refuted the accusations but subsequently admitted to them, revealing the identities of more than 30 co-conspirators.
In addition to the extensive fraud, Frolov faces accusations of accepting bribes and possessing illegal firearms and explosives. All of his decorations and honors have been annulled, and his case is set to be heard by the military tribunal in the Lugansk garrison, where some of the infractions were reportedly carried out.
This corruption scandal within the Russian military underscores the significant levels of misconduct and deception among elite units, as well as how state propaganda transformed a fraud into a „national hero.”
