Law enforcement officers have dismantled a large-scale scheme in which participants massively bought and activated Ukrainian SIM cards for their further use in Russian strike drones. The perpetrators provided the enemy with communications and navigation for more precise targeting of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure facilities.
Law enforcement officers have dismantled a large-scale scheme in which participants massively bought and activated Ukrainian SIM cards for their further use in Russian strike drones. The perpetrators provided the enemy with communications and navigation for more precise targeting of Ukrainian cities and infrastructure facilities.
The head of the State Financial Monitoring Service of Ukraine, Philip Pronin, announced the discovery of a network operating using so-called "drops." The operation was carried out jointly with the Security Service of Ukraine.
The scale of the criminal activity covers tens of thousands of numbers. In just one investigation, financial intelligence recorded over 24,000 mobile numbers and more than 29,000 transactions in favor of Ukrainian mobile operators.
A group of individuals in Ukraine organized the purchase and activation of starter packs, which were later shipped to Russia. The enemy used these numbers directly in attack UAVs to coordinate flights. Ukrainian military and law enforcement officers regularly find such cards among the wreckage of downed drones.
The total turnover of funds in the accounts of the scheme participants — individual entrepreneurs and front persons (“drops”) — exceeded UAH 60 million. The criminals spent part of the money received on the purchase of real estate and luxury cars.
The investigation also established that one of the leaders of this group was in the EU. He was identified through joint work with European financial intelligence units.
The head of the State Financial Monitoring Service emphasizes that the use of other people's bank cards is not just a shadow job, but a ready-made infrastructure for crimes, in particular for the financing of terrorism. Since August 2025, the agency has transferred to the Bureau of Economic Security materials on such drop schemes worth over UAH 31 billion, and in the first quarter of 2026 alone - more than UAH 14 billion.
"Do not agree to dubious offers of quick money. This way you can not only lose money or an account, but also become part of a scheme that helps Russian terror," noted Philip Pronin.
The problem of using Ukrainian mobile communications in enemy drones is being actively discussed in the tech and military communities. Recently, military communications expert Serhiy Flesh called for radical steps to counter new Russian UAVs . Among his proposals are the sale of SIM cards exclusively with passports and the temporary shutdown of mobile Internet in regions during air alerts.
