Money was “extorted” from spouses: racketeers were arrested in Zhytomyr Oblast

Among the victims are a seriously wounded soldier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and his wife.

The Security Service and investigators of the National Police neutralized a criminal group that was going to “pay tribute” and keep the residents of Zhytomyr region in fear. The perpetrators demanded 3,000 US dollars from the spouses in one “tranche”, and in general they were going to “take out” almost 1.5 million hryvnias to fill the so-called “thieves' cash register”.

This was reported by the SBU press service.

According to the case materials, the perpetrators broke into the soldier's apartment when they learned that he had received monetary compensation from the state for a shrapnel wound in his leg during front-line battles.

“Taking advantage of the soldier's plight, the perpetrators threatened him and his wife with a knife in order to force them to pay “tribute”. In case of refusal, the racketeers promised to return and forcibly take away all the money and other private property,…