Kathrine Frich
Once celebrated in Russian state media as a decorated battlefield commander, Lieutenant Colonel Konstantin Frolov is now awaiting sentencing behind bars.
Nicknamed “The Executioner,” he was awarded four medals for his role in the war in Ukraine.
Today, he claims the same state that hailed him as a hero has turned against him.
Fraud allegations
According to Russia’s Investigative Committee, Frolov orchestrated a scheme in which at least 30 soldiers and medics from the 83rd Air Assault Brigade shot themselves to claim compensation for wartime injuries.
Investigators allege the operation generated around 200 million rubles, or roughly $2.6 million, in payouts. Authorities say Frolov and another commander kept part of the money.
He faces charges of fraud, bribery and arms trafficking and is expected to appear before a military court next month.
Russian officials say he has agreed to a plea deal in exchange for a reduced sentence.
In a telephone interview with The New York Times, Frolov acknowledged involvement in manipulating compensation claims but denied ordering soldiers to wound themselves.
“It seems that my country, which called me a hero for a year, is now contradicting itself and keeping me in a cage,” he told the court.
Claims of retaliation
Frolov insists he is being singled out while others accused of similar misconduct have avoided punishment.
He argues his arrest followed a video in which he criticized senior defense officials, accusing “old men in charge” of sending troops into deadly missions as “cannon fodder.”
“They want to blame everything on us because we criticized the command, those old men in charge,” Frolov said.
A former paratrooper from his brigade told The New York Times that exaggerating injuries to receive higher payouts was common practice, though he said he had not heard of soldiers deliberately shooting themselves.
“If you want a vacation, you have to get hurt. The idea was: ‘We hurt you, you give us the money – a million – and then you go on vacation and get two million.’ That’s how they made money,” the paratrooper said.
Broader corruption concerns
The case unfolds amid wider scrutiny of corruption within Russia’s military establishment. At least 12 senior officials and generals have faced charges in the past two years, along with dozens of officers.
Tatiana Stanovaia of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center told The New York Times that wartime profiteering creates political opportunities for rival power factions.
“When people profit from a tragedy — a war that is sacred to Putin — it creates political fuel for other actors,” she said.
Despite the allegations, Frolov maintains he is being unfairly punished.
“I had almost only prisoners under my command. People are forgiven for almost anything to convince them to go fight in the war,” he said. “But we were taken from the front and sent to prison.”
Sources: The New York Times, Russia’s Investigative Committee
