In Chornomorsk, a city council official was convicted of accepting a bribe of $2,500

A former official of the Architecture and Urban Planning Department of the Black Sea City Council was sentenced to five years in prison. The court found that she had demanded $2,500 to process paperwork for a retail pavilion.

This is stated in the verdict of the Black Sea City Court of Odesa Oblast dated October 28, 2026.

According to the case file, the businesswoman approached the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning to obtain a permit for a temporary commercial structure.

The official initially quoted a price of $2,400 but later increased it to $2,500. According to the court, she refused to hand over the completed documents until she received the money.

On January 29, 2025, the businesswoman handed the official $2,500 in her office. The money had been provided by the Security Service of Ukraine to facilitate the investigation. Afterward, the woman received the documents for the pavilion.

The court found the official guilty of extorting an unlawful benefit. In addition to five years in prison, the sentence includes:

• a three-year ban on holding certain positions;
• confiscation of all property;
• reimbursement to the state of 30,240.60 hryvnias for the costs of expert examinations.

Once the verdict becomes final, the woman is to be taken into custody to serve her sentence. The verdict may be appealed within 30 days.

Ірина Глухова