A Russian officer celebrated as a battlefield hero has been unmasked as the ringleader of a staggering fraud operation. Investigators say Lt. Col. Konstantin Frolov—known by the nickname “The Executioner”—orchestrated a scheme in which elite soldiers shot themselves and one another in safe areas to collect combat injury benefits and decorations.
According to Russian media reports, Frolov, stationed in the prestigious 83rd Separate Guards Air Assault Brigade, admitted under investigation that he directed soldiers to deliberately shoot him in non‑vital areas while leading the scam that extracted about $2.5 million in payouts. Approximately 35 officers reportedly received around 3 million rubles each—roughly $37,000–$40,000 apiece.
The scandal also revealed that Frolov’s celebrated war record—including dramatic stories of rescuing a child and multiple battlefield injuries—was entirely fabricated. Both Frolov and another implicated commander, Artem Gorodilov, are cooperating with authorities and now face serious charges including fraud, bribery, and illegal weapons trafficking.
The hoax came to light after a whistleblower stepped forward in June, prompting a federal probe. Although Frolov sought to return to combat, he was reportedly denied by Kremlin authorities amid the fallout .
This scandal casts a harsh spotlight on the credibility of Russian military propaganda. A figure once paraded in state media as a model soldier—a sniper dubbed “The Executioner”—has now become a symbol of institutional corruption within the very ranks he was meant to inspire .
