Ukrainian colonel arrested in ‘illegal enrichment’ allegation over £3m house

Colonel Yevhen Borisov during a hearing on July 25 (Image: GETTY) A Ukrainian colonel has been accused of “illegal enrichment” and arrested on suspicion of buying a luxury villa in Marbella while the war rages in his country. The Ukrainian national investigation bureau arrested Colonel Yevhen Borisov in Kyiv, two days after issuing a search warrant for him. On Monday, Ukrainian authorities announced they had remanded a former military recruiter in custody on suspicion of spending £3.4million (€4m) to buy a luxury villa in the southern Spanish city of Marbella at the height of the Russian invasion of the eastern European country. The claims were first raised following an investigation by Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda, which on June 22 alleged the colonel’s mother had become the villa’s owner in December 2022. Other allegations included claims the Colonel’s wife had bought office space, also in Marbella, worth £633,000 (€740,000), while his mother-in-law allegedly bought several luxury cars in recent years. Colonel Yevhen Borisov has been accused of ‘illegal enrichment’ (Image: GETTY) Colonel Borisov has also been accused of helping people avoid enlistment in the Ukrainian Army, the Bureau – which looks into high-level corruption cases – said. Until his dismissal at the end of June, the official had been in charge of mobilisation and recruitment in the Odesa region. Following the arrest, the Pechersky District Court of Kyiv sent Colonel Borisov to a pretrial detention centre, with bail set at £3,163,755 (150m Ukrainian hryvnias). During the hearing, Colonel Borisov stated he is a military serviceman who “was wounded in the war” and claimed to have gone to Spain and Turkey for rehabilitation. The fight against corruption is crucial for Ukraine ‘s bid to join the European Union . Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky applied for EU membership just days after Russia began its illegal full-scale invasion of the neighbouring country. Among other conditions required to apply for EU membership are a stable democracy and the rule of law, a functioning market economy and the acceptance of all the Brussels’ legislation. Ukraine also wants to join NATO , and has been pushing for member states of the Western military alliance to commit to a timeframe for its accession. Earlier this month, NATO members reaffirmed Kyiv would join the alliance, and will do so through a simplified one-step process – once “allies agree and conditions are met”.