Russian military doctor accused of surgically implanting shrapnel for fraudulent war injury payment claims

Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case against a military doctor accused of surgically implanting shrapnel to fake combat injuries in order to facilitate fraudulent claims for financial compensation, Alexander Bastrykin, the committee’s head, told RIA Novosti.

“The military medic, acting in concert with two senior officials, performed surgical operations to implant shrapnel fragments, simulating injuries. Fake records were then entered into official documents, which served as the basis for compensation payments,” Bastrykin said. The scheme allegedly enabled them to fraudulently obtain more than 12 million rubles (approximately $120,000).

In March 2022, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree authorizing a one-time payment of 3 million rubles (around $30,000) for injuries sustained during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. By November 2024, the compensation for injuries resulting in disability had been raised to 4 million rubles (about $40,000).