A Russian serviceman from the Podmoskovye region who has fought in Ukraine since the start of the conflict was defrauded of almost 3 million rubles while attempting to purchase an imported car.
The soldier signed a contract in August 2025 with individual entrepreneurs based in Irkutsk Oblast to buy a vehicle that was to be delivered from South Korea. He transferred more than 2.9 million rubles for the car and its shipping fees, but the sellers failed to deliver the vehicle or provide the service.
In January 2026, the serviceman issued a pre-trial legal claim to the sellers demanding a refund. The contractors rejected the claim with a formal written refusal and declined to return the money. The buyer subsequently filed a report in February 2026 with the 3rd police department of the MVD Inter-Municipal Department Irkutskoye, providing comprehensive evidence including the contract, passport copies, payment receipts, and notarised correspondence with the contractor.
Despite receiving the documentation, police in Irkutsk refused three times to open a criminal investigation. Officers issued all three refusal decisions without interviewing the victim a single time, according to documents released by the press office of Russian senator Ayrat Gibatdinov.
Prosecutorial intervention and police discipline
Upon learning of the case, Gibatdinov submitted formal inquiries to the Irkutsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office and the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. A supervisory review by the prosecutor's office overturned the police decision to reject the criminal case.
The detective who issued the refusal was disciplined, and authorities launched a further investigation into the case. The Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs has taken direct control of the matter. However, the entrepreneurs involved continue to market vehicle purchase and delivery services from South Korea through popular messaging applications.
Proposed legislation for crimes against service members
Commenting on the fraud, Gibatdinov questioned how anyone could steal from personnel risking their lives at the front every day. He stated that money earned by soldiers defending the country comes at great personal risk and argued that fraudulent acts targeting military personnel should be punished two to three times more severely than ordinary fraud offenses.
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation, of which Gibatdinov is a member, submitted a bill to the State Duma on August 6 proposing up to 10 years in prison for fraud against Russian Armed Forces members and volunteers. Gibatdinov expressed confidence that lawmakers would support the legislation.
Separately, law enforcement figures noted that scammers have recently begun using monitoring services to track domestic and everyday requests in local building and neighborhood chat groups to identify potential victims.
Background on vehicle imports and police oversight
Irkutsk Oblast is a region in eastern Siberia that serves as a transit route for motor vehicles imported into Russia from East Asian countries such as South Korea. Under Russian procedure, decisions by local police units under the Ministry of Internal Affairs are subject to supervisory review by regional prosecutor offices, which have the authority to order new criminal inquiries.
