Food warehouse officer in Odesa detained for bribery

In Odesa, law enforcement officers served a notice of suspicion to a major of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who headed a food warehouse at one of the supply centers. According to the investigation, the official demanded 100 thousand hryvnias from a company that supplies food to the Ukrainian military.

This was reported by the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office.

According to law enforcement officials, it is a matter of fulfilling a state contract worth more than UAH 50 million concluded with the State Logistics Operator. The company supplied daily field meals for the military unit, and the officer was responsible for checking the products and processing the accompanying documents.

According to the prosecutor's office, after the first batch of goods arrived, the official began to deliberately delay the acceptance procedures. Investigators claim that he initiated additional inspections not provided for under the terms of the contract and blocked the signing of the necessary documents.

Later, according to law enforcement, the major demanded UAH 100,000 for unimpeded continuation of the contract.

He was detained while receiving the money on May 8. The official was served a notice of suspicion of bribery by an official combined with extortion.

The judge has now imposed a pre-trial restraint on the suspect. The major was taken into custody and set bail in excess of UAH 915,000.

Also in May, an officer of a maritime university in Odesa was exposed for a scheme to extort money from students for passing the exam. During the searches, tens of thousands of dollars and euros, as well as envelopes with the names of students and teachers, were found in the suspect's possession.

Investigators found that the fourth-year tutor demanded a USD 1600 bribe from a student for passing six subjects, including English. In return for this money, he promised to "resolve the issue" with the teachers of various disciplines and to help ensure that the student was not expelled from the university.

Анна Бальчінос