A Russian lieutenant colonel received 21 years in a penal colony for fake exploits and organizing self-inflicted shootings at the front
Kyiv • UNN
Konstantin Frolov was convicted of staged attacks, self-inflicted shootings, and fraud for the sake of awards and payments. The court stripped him of his ranks and orders.
In Russia, a military court sentenced Lieutenant Colonel Konstantin Frolov, call sign "Executioner," to 21 years in a maximum-security penal colony for organizing a fraudulent scheme during the war against Ukraine. The serviceman, together with accomplices, staged combat feats and injuries in order to receive state awards and monetary payments. The Moscow Times reports this, citing press reports, UNN writes.
Details
According to investigators, the former commander of a special operations group of Russia’s 83rd Air Assault Brigade created a group of more than 30 people. They filmed staged videos purportedly showing the destruction of Ukrainian equipment and attacks by Ukrainian Armed Forces drones. Some of the videos were even broadcast by Russian federal television channels.
In addition, the servicemen shot at one another, simulating combat injuries, and sometimes inserted ammunition fragments under their skin. According to the case materials, medics were also involved in the fraud.
During the staging of one of the feats, the lieutenant colonel was actually injured
Frolov sustained a real injury while trying to film a staged video involving a grenade. The munition bounced off the wall of a dugout, fell at his feet, and exploded.
The investigation also established that the officer organized a fictitious drone testing group and illegally acquired weapons and explosives.
The court stripped Frolov of his rank of lieutenant colonel, four Orders of Courage, and other state awards. The convicted man himself links the criminal prosecution to a case against his father, a former senior official of "Roscosmos."