In Cherkasy, a blackmailer was apprehended for intimidating the relatives of prisoners and those missing in action.

Employees of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Police have detained a 28-year-old resident of the Cherkasy region who organized a scheme to extort money from relatives of captives and missing persons.

According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the SBU.

Law enforcement documented how the suspect deceived and then threatened the wife of a military serviceman of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who went missing during fighting in the Pokrovsk direction, demanding 200,000 UAH.

Initially, the perpetrator concocted a story claiming that the woman's husband was allegedly in captivity and that money was needed for his return home.

“In a vulnerable state, the woman transferred over 160,000 UAH to the young man in several installments. When she began to have doubts about further payments, the suspect started to threaten her. In particular, the extortionist stated that he could kill the woman along with her husband and their child,” the statement reads.

The perpetrator was apprehended while he was receiving another 30,000 UAH from the affected family via bank details.

According to the investigation, the main information about the captives or missing military personnel was obtained by the suspect from thematic internet forums where people wrote about their relatives.

During searches, mobile phones containing evidence of criminal activities were confiscated from the man, as well as bank cards where money from the victims was deposited.

He has been notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 189 of the Criminal Code (Extortion in especially large amounts committed under martial law). The perpetrator faces up to 12 years in prison with asset confiscation.

The SBU emphasizes that the issue of releasing prisoners of war is solely within the competence of state authorities.

Any cases where unknown individuals demand money for the "release" of a relative from captivity should be immediately reported to the United Center for the Search and Release of Captives at the following phone numbers: +38 067 650-83-32, +38 098 087-36-01 or via email at [email protected].

As reported by Ukrinform, according to the Commissioner of the Verkhovna Rada for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, international partners have published new proposals that could expedite the process of returning Ukrainians from Russian captivity.

The first photo is illustrative