3 former law enforcement officers involved in plot to frame outspoken ex-commander with planted drugs

Ukrainian law enforcement agencies have uncovered a group suspected of fabricating evidence to illegally prosecute Oleksandr Shyrshyn, a former battalion commander of the 47th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the agencies said on Sept. 9.

Three former law enforcement officers now serving in a Ukrainian army brigade, whose name has not been disclosed, allegedly conspired with unidentified accomplices to illegally monitor Shyrshyn and gather confidential information about him, according to the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) and the Prosecutor General's Office.

Investigators said the suspects sought to discredit the commander and have him prosecuted based on fabricated evidence.

Shyrshyn said on Aug. 28 on Facebook that cannabis had been planted in his car in an apparent attempt to implicate him in the illegal production and possession of drugs.

Overnight on Aug. 28, the suspects allegedly broke into the commander's car near his home in Kharkiv and planted around 30 zip-lock bags containing cannabis and PVP, a synthetic psychotropic stimulant, inside the vehicle, the DBR said.

The following day, the suspects allegedly used their law enforcement connections to alert patrol police and the Military Law Enforcement Service that Shyrshyn was carrying prohibited substances.

Police subsequently stopped the commander's car and found the drugs during a search. Shyrshyn said the substances had been planted, adding that he had been under surveillance for an extended period.

Shyrshyn said the presence of the small gram scales alongside the cannabis could be used to accuse him of intending to distribute drugs.

"Weed was planted on me. It was all very interesting and very much planned," Shyrshyn wrote on Facebook on Aug. 28.

According to Shyrshyn, the police were acting on a tip, and "suspicious" people resembling Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) officers were standing around the site where his car was searched.

"I don't use that armrest because it's on the back seat. I opened it and there was some kind of package inside. I took it out, and (the police officer) asked, 'What is this?' I said, 'I don't know.' I opened it, and there was weed with scales and a bunch of small bags," Shyrshyn told Ukrainian media outlet Babel.

Investigators said they later reconstructed the alleged chain of events, from the illegal collection of confidential information and tracking of the former commander's movements to the break-in and planting of drugs in his car.

The three suspects have been charged with illegally entering a person's property, unlawfully collecting and using confidential information, illegal drug trafficking and aiding an attempted prosecution of a person known to be innocent through the fabrication of evidence, the DBR said.

The investigation is ongoing. Authorities are working to identify other people allegedly involved in the scheme.

Shyrshyn previously criticized Ukraine's senior military leadership in May 2025 during Oleksandr Syrskyi's tenure as commander-in-chief. Syrskyi was dismissed on July 22, 2026.

The former battalion commander suggested that the alleged drug-planting incident may have been linked to past conflicts with units directly subordinate to Syrskyi.

During Syrskyi's tenure, both the 225th Separate Assault Regiment and the 425th Separate Assault Regiment Skelia were not attached to any corps and reported directly to the higher military command. The units operated in some of the most dangerous sectors of the front and often suffered heavy casualties, raising concerns about the rationale behind their deployment.

Allegations of violence against servicemen have surfaced in both the 225th and 425th regiments. In July, Ukrainian media outlet Texty published audio recordings in an investigation that purportedly captured Oleh Shyriaiev, Commander of the 225th Separate Assault Regiment, ordering that Ukrainian soldiers be shot if they abandoned their positions without authorization.

A separate investigation by Ukrainian media outlet Babel into the 425th Skelia Regiment identified several alleged cases of harsh treatment and torture of soldiers, along with a high rate of non-combat casualties.

Shyrshyn, known by the call sign Genius, said in May 2025 that flawed decisions by the military command were causing excessive losses of personnel, equipment, and territory due to a systemic disconnect from troops on the ground.

An internal investigation followed, and Syrskyi subsequently declared Shyrshyn "undisciplined," a designation referring to a service member who fails to follow orders, violates military regulations, or undermines the army's combat effectiveness. Syrskyi, who was then commander-in-chief, said Shyrshyn was seeking attention or self-realization."

In February 2026, a court overturned the disciplinary reprimand imposed on Shyrshyn by the military command.