SAA event in Kharkiv area, Ukraine on Tue 24th February 2026

Explosives from the front by mail: the SBI blocked the attempt to illegally export weapons to Kharkiv


Blocking of channels of illegal circulation of weapons from the area of hostilities is one of the key areas of work of the SBI. We are talking about preventing the ingress of combat means of destruction into the civilian environment, preventing sabotage, terrorist attacks and other serious crimes. In wartime, even one unit of illegally exported weapons poses a threat to the lives of people and the security of the regions, so such facts receive a fundamental legal assessment.

Employees of the SBI stopped the attempt to transport weapons and explosive materials to the Kharkiv region.

According to the investigation, the organizer of the scheme was a sapper of one of the border detachments, who served in the Donetsk region. With access to the unit's arsenal, he began to assign explosives and components.


In the future, the defendant sent them by postal items to two friends in the Kharkiv region. They stored the received parcels in their homes, in fact, accumulating an illegal arsenal.

During the departure of the next batch, law enforcement officers seized almost 300 units of dangerous weapons at one of the postal terminals of Kharkiv. Among them are the main parts of unguided rockets, grenade hulls, powder charges, detonators, elements to underbarrel systems and other components of explosive devices.

During searches at the places of residence of accomplices, investigators seized combat units of charges, hand grenades, electrodetonators, detonators, components for grenade launchers and other means of destruction, including improvised explosive elements.

Thanks to the prompt actions of law enforcement officers, the defendants did not have time to implement the seized weapons or use it in any way.

The soldier was notified of suspicion of illegal handling of weapons, ammunition or explosives (Part 1 of Art. 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The sanction of the article provides for up to 7 years in prison.

Within the framework of the pre-trial investigation, the issue of transferring the seized weapons for the needs of the Defense Forces of Ukraine is being resolved.

Procedural guidance is provided by the Kharkiv Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the field of defense of the Eastern region.