Law enforcement officers have exposed an organized group operating in Kyiv, Kyiv, and Zhytomyr regions. Investigators have established that in 2025-2026, seven men from Malyn in Zhytomyr region demanded debts from people, including entrepreneurs, that did not actually exist, and set fire to property when they refused to pay.
This was reported on Friday, April 10, by the Office of the Prosecutor General and the Kyiv Region Police.
“Among the documented incidents is the arson of the victim's apartment door and an attempt to set fire to his car,” the UCP said in a statement.
Detention of one of the suspects. Kyiv Region Police/Telegram
As reported by the Kyiv Region Police, to commit their crimes, the suspects used fake law enforcement IDs and passes to travel during curfew hours.
Investigators documented three cases of extortion with threats of violence and three cases of arson of the victims' property.
“In order to intimidate the victim and force him to comply with criminal demands, the front door to his apartment was set on fire. In another case, a car was burned,” the report says.
Detention of one of the suspects. Kyiv Region Police/Telegram
On April 7, law enforcement officers conducted 34 searches in Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and the capital. They seized firearms and cold weapons, grenades, means of conspiracy, forged documents, phones, money, and cars, the Prosecutor General's Office said.
Six suspects were detained and taken into custody, and another was put on the wanted list. Law enforcement officers are establishing all the circumstances and other episodes of criminal activity.