FLASH
Shkruar nga PamfletiKonstantin Frolov, commander of the 83rd Guards Airborne Brigade, managed to "deceive" Russian authorities, obtaining benefits of over $2.5 million. He who lived a life of luxury has now declared himself a victim of political persecution.
In Russian Defense Ministry videos, Lieutenant Colonel Konstantin Frolov, commander of the 83rd Guards Airborne Brigade, known by the codename "The Executioner," appeared as the ultimate symbol of Russian bravery.
With four Orders of Courage on his chest and a facade for Russian propaganda, he declared in front of the camera that he would not rest until the final "victory" in Ukraine, even boasting about the wounds that almost cost him his life.
Today, this image has collapsed.
Russia's Investigative Committee (the equivalent of the FBI) reveals that "The Executioner" was no hero, but the mastermind of a dubious multimillion-dollar scam.
Self-portraits for... rubles
In November 2024, Vladimir Putin signed a decree providing for compensation of 3 million rubles for serious injuries and 1 million for minor injuries.
According to the indictment, Frolov and other officers of the elite 83rd Guards Airborne Brigade organized a “self-harm” operation. More than 30 soldiers and medics allegedly shot each other or themselves in order to receive state compensation for battlefield injuries.
The total amount of the fraud is estimated at 200 million rubles (about $2.6 million), with the commanders receiving a "commission" from each payment.
“If you want to leave, you have to get injured. The idea was: we injure you, you give us a million and you leave with the other two,” Danil, a soldier who served under Frolov’s command, told the New York Times.
Frolov's "Row": Corruption or Revenge?
In an interview from prison, Frolov admitted his involvement in financial irregularities but denied the self-inflicted gunshots. He claimed they were simply “cooking up,” declaring multiple injuries from one attack as separate incidents to increase compensation and that, in his opinion, this did not constitute fraud. He claims to be a victim of political persecution, claiming his arrest was in retaliation for criticizing the top leadership for the “meat grinder” attacks that led to mass casualties among soldiers.
He also said he was being targeted to put pressure on his father, Oleg Frolov, a former senior official at the Roscosmos space agency, who is also accused of corruption. His claims have not been independently verified.
VIP life profiting from war
While propaganda portrayed him on the front lines, his wife's social media revealed a different reality. As the war continued, Frolov enjoyed, among other things, boat trips on the Gulf of Finland, VIP invitations to concerts in St. Petersburg, lavish birthday parties, and trips to Altai.
Frolov's case is not isolated. At least 12 senior military personnel have been arrested recently for corruption. Analysts say the Kremlin uses a "carrot and stick" approach, allowing some to get rich but punishing by example those who become too greedy or "unruly" politically.
As for the 83rd Guards Airborne Brigade, it is located in the Far East, near Vladivostok, thousands of kilometers from the Ukrainian front. Its former commander, Colonel Artyom Gorodilov, was arrested in 2024 for "large-scale fraud" and is being tried separately. Two years ago, he commanded the 234th Airborne Regiment, which Ukrainian prosecutors accuse of at least 40 war crimes during the capture of Butsa.
The fact that Frolov served under the command of Colonel Gorodilov adds another dark page to the brigade's history.
The "executioner" is expected to be sentenced next month, having already reached a plea deal with authorities. "The country that called me a hero for a year is now keeping me in a cage," he said bitterly in court, while for many Russians, his case is simply proof that for some, war is the most profitable business.
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