Ukraine SBI Charges Anti-Corruption Head Shabunin With Military Evasion, Fraud

Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has charged Vitalii Shabunin, head of the Anti-Corruption Action Center, with evading military service and fraud related to the unauthorized use of a vehicle intended for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The SBI alleges that Shabunin was mobilized in 2022 but systematically failed to report to his duty station, instead staying in civilian institutions under the pretense of business trips while receiving military pay. Additionally, the investigation claims he illegally used a humanitarian aid vehicle for personal purposes without proper registration. Shabunin and his legal team reject the accusations as absurd and politically motivated, asserting that he has served in assigned military locations since the full-scale invasion. Searches were conducted at his home and military unit without a court warrant or legal counsel, and his family’s electronic devices were confiscated. The charges carry a potential sentence of up to 10 years in prison, and the investigation is ongoing amid concerns of political pressure.