Ukraine thwarts 35 corruption schemes valued at nearly UAH 5 million

Ukraine's National Police reported the information.

The 42 individuals charged in the schemes include officials from medical and educational institutions, territorial recruitment and social support centers, various executive authorities, MPs, and civilians. According to law enforcement, the cost of their "services" or resolving artificially created issues ranged from $300 to $25,000.

The uncovered schemes were categorized as follows:

• Evading mobilization to the Ukrainian Armed Forces,
• Leasing or using land plots and property,
• Issuance of permits,
• Connecting to electricity and gas distribution networks,
• Performing work at public expense or providing bonuses to subordinate employees,
• Illegal border crossing.

In the first case, officials from medical institutions assisted in obtaining disability status and declaring men of military age unfit for service, while territorial recruitment and social support centers facilitated the deregistration or removal of information about individuals wanted for draft evasion.

For example, a couple detained by law enforcement officers in the Kyiv region took $25,000 each for arranging fake hospitalizations at several clinical hospitals in Kyiv and the surrounding area, with part of the money being given to hospital staff and territorial recruitment and social support centers.

Additionally, according to the police, an employee of the district recruitment and social support center in the Sumy region received $3,000 for deleting information about individuals wanted for evading mobilization.

The head of a department at an educational institution in the Odesa region is alleged to have assisted in enrolling "applicants" in full-time education for UAH 45,000, while her colleague from the Dnipropetrovsk region allegedly received $1,000 for helping students pass exams.

In the Lviv region, law enforcement exposed the deputy mayor, heads of city council departments, and several deputies who received kickbacks for lobbying specific companies and securing tender wins.

Based on the evidence collected, police investigators have served suspicion notices to 42 individuals involved in the corruption schemes, with the total amount of bribes received reaching nearly UAH 5 million. The offenders may face a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.