Yuriy Kasyanov, commander of Ukraine’s elite drone unit, claims that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally ordered the disbandment of his team following his testimony to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) in the Fire Point case.

Kasyanov asserts that his whistleblowing on alleged corruption involving the Fire Point company, which produces the FP-1 drone and Flamingo missiles, led to the unit’s dissolution.

The NABU commented on Kasianov’s statement and his request for protection as a witness. The serviceman is indeed a witness in one of the Bureau’s proceedings.

The National Anti-Corruption Bureau stated that in mid-September, following a series of online publications and Yuriy Kasyanov’s own request to the Bureau, he was indeed questioned as part of an investigation launched at the beginning of 2025.

As for Kasyanov’s request for protection as a witness, in order to determine whether there is a threat to his life or health, NABU detectives have already initiated, through the Administration of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, a summons for the witness to conduct additional investigative actions.

“Based on the results, a decision will be made regarding further steps. In particular, an appeal to the military ombudsman may be initiated, and if necessary, a number of other measures will be taken in accordance with the law,” NABU’s press service noted.

On the morning of Monday, October 12, Yuriy Kasyanov stated that he is a whistleblower and a key witness in the National Anti-Corruption Bureau’s case concerning the company Fire Point. He said this was the main reason for the liquidation of the unit he had created. The soldier also requested that NABU provide protection for himself and his family under the witness protection program and added that his health is deteriorating, but that “they will not let him out alive.”

In his Facebook post, Kasyanov wrote:

“The decision to liquidate our unit was made by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, because I am a whistleblower in the Fire Point case and a key witness. On October 2, I gave testimony to NABU detectives. On the morning of October 3, the liquidation of the unit was announced.

I ask NABU to provide protection for me and my family under the witness protection program.

I gave the President room to maneuver — I urged him to change the decision, went to Maidan, blamed only Yermak, held behind-the-scenes talks with members of his team, even raised a white flag in an attempt to preserve an effective unit and prevent persecution of me and my family. I fought for the consolidation of society around the figure of the President and the Commander-in-Chief.

The President did not listen and decided to crack down. Because my testimony includes his name.

The persecution of NABU detectives, the attempt to put NABU under control through legislative amendments, and now the liquidation of our unit, the persecution of me and my family members, streams of “compromising materials” online, and the attack on my family business — all this is a demonstrative act of retribution by top-level corrupt officials earning billions of dollars from the war.

I am now in the Rivne region, at the assembly and transfer point of the 1st Border Detachment (the Hart Brigade), in inhumane conditions, effectively under arrest. I, a senior officer and volunteer since 2014, have been placed in the same barracks with mobilized soldiers, not allowed to leave, and guarded as if I were a draft dodger. My physical condition is worsening by the day. Deineko will not let me leave this place alive.”

Earlier, the media reported that Timur Mindich is a co-owner of the company Fire Point. In particular, this was stated by Member of Parliament Yaroslav Zheleznyak and also by Yuriy Kasyanov.

At the same time, the company’s chief designer, Denys Shtilerman, said in an interview with ZN.UA titled “Fire Point: A Conversation About Drones, Missiles, and Mindich” that Timur Mindich has no influence over and is not a co-owner of Fire Point, which produces FP-1 strike drones and Flamingo missiles. He noted that Mindich had expressed a desire to become one of the company’s shareholders but was refused.

Shtilerman also stated that the National Anti-Corruption Bureau is not conducting an investigation into his company; the case concerns officials of the Ministry of Defense and the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection.

As a reminder, on October 3, Yuriy Kasyanov announced the disbandment of the strike drone company he had created within the 10th Mobile Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine. At the time, he said that the unit was dissolved by the head of the State Border Guard Service, Serhii Deineko, on the orders of the head of the President’s Office, Andriy Yermak. Kasyanov believes this decision was an act of revenge for his criticism of the inconsistency of the Ukrainian authorities on issues of war and corruption. In particular, he wrote a number of articles for ZN.UA analyzing the effectiveness of government decisions during wartime regarding the development of Ukrainian drones.

EMPR