The State Bureau of Investigation has charged a female Ukrainian Armed Forces officer who appeared on "MasterChef" instead of seeking medical treatment

A senior lieutenant in the Armed Forces of Ukraine is suspected of illegally receiving nearly 250,000 hryvnias in pay during a period when she was not actually undergoing inpatient treatment. According to investigators, instead of receiving treatment, the officer participated in the filming of the cooking show “MasterChef” and traveled around Ukraine.

According to the investigation, from April to August 2025, the officer was officially undergoing inpatient treatment at a military medical facility. However, she actually spent most of that time outside the hospital.

Investigators determined that the servicewoman was in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and the Odesa region, attending to personal matters and participating in the filming of the popular television show “MasterChef.”

Meanwhile, the military unit’s command believed that she was undergoing treatment and continued to pay her salary.

According to the investigation’s estimates, this resulted in losses to the state of nearly 250,000 hryvnias.

DBR officials notified the senior lieutenant of the charges against her.

She faces five to ten years in prison for the alleged offense.

This was reported by the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR).

As a reminder, a female officer suspected of evading duty under the guise of medical treatment is currently on trial in Ukraine. According to the investigation, she was allegedly on sick leave for months but was actually participating in the filming of the cooking show MasterChef. If found guilty, she faces up to 10 years in prison.