Oleg Karimov, head of the operational assets department at the Kherson Municipal Energy Company (KEV), is suspected of accepting bribes in exchange for helping a businessman secure military contracts.
The Center for Public Investigations has examined the details of the case.
According to investigators, the official acted in collusion with the head of KEV and demanded 10% of the contract amounts.
One of the incidents involved the repair of power lines at Military Town No. 38. In March 2026, KEV signed a contract with businessman Serhiy Kucher worth 152,300 hryvnias. According to investigators, 25,000 hryvnias of this amount were transferred to the official.
Another incident involved the repair of equipment at a transformer substation in Military Town No. 7b. The expected cost of the procurement was 240,000 hryvnias, and the contract with the same contractor was signed for 239,600 hryvnias. Subsequently, the amount was reduced to 205,900 hryvnias.
According to investigators, after the work was completed, the entrepreneur was demanded to pay an additional 20,000 hryvnias as a bribe. On June 16, he handed over the money to Karimov under the supervision of law enforcement officers. During a search of the official’s premises, funds with corresponding identification were discovered.
Karimov was notified that he is suspected of accepting a bribe as part of a prior conspiracy by a group of individuals, combined with extortion. Earlier, the court imposed a pretrial detention order on him, with the alternative of posting bail in the amount of 499,200 hryvnias. After posting bail, the official was released and subject to procedural obligations.
As reported by Intent, after posting bail, the official was released and placed under procedural obligations. Karimov did not admit guilt and refused to provide explanations.
Анна Літман