Ukrainian Officer Investigated for Faking Hospital Stay to Join MasterChef

Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has launched a criminal probe against Ukrainian military officer Viktoria Kuznetsova. The navigator from the 15th Transport Aviation Brigade allegedly obtained a four-month medical leave to undergo treatment at a military hospital in Dnipro from April to August 2025, but instead used the time to participate in the popular reality television cooking show "MasterChef".

According to investigators, Kuznetsova spent the duration of her alleged hospitalization traveling to Kyiv, Kharkiv, and the Odesa region for personal matters, while continuing to receive her military salary totaling 250,000 hryvnias, equivalent to approximately 17,500 shekels. During her time on television, she was introduced to viewers as a former service member.

Authorities have formally notified Kuznetsova of suspicions regarding draft evasion through deception and fraud causing significant financial damage. The SBI is currently investigating potential accomplices within the military medical facility to determine if officials assisted in issuing false documentation for her fictitious hospitalization.