In Odesa, a TCC servicemember is suspected of being involved in a scheme to have his name removed from the wanted list

An investigation is underway in Odesa into a possible scheme involving the acceptance of bribes to remove conscripts from the “Oberig” registry’s wanted list. According to investigators, a military officer at one of the district territorial recruitment centers offered to influence the relevant decision by officials in exchange for money.

This is stated in a ruling by the Primorsky District Court of Odesa dated October 28, 2026.

According to the criminal case file, the military officer used his connections among employees of the Territorial Recruitment Center and the Special Forces and offered conscripts who were on the wanted list assistance in having their wanted status removed.

Investigators allege that on August 27, he received $2,000 from the complainant in exchange for influencing the decision to remove information about the wanted status fromthe “Oberig” registry.

Law enforcement officials also established the possible involvement of another man in the scheme, who is referred to in the case file as an intermediary. According to the investigation, he facilitated the removal of information about the complainant from the registry. The roles of other possible participants and the flow of funds are still being determined.

On October 27, law enforcement officers conducted a search of an apartment that, according to the case file, was used by the alleged intermediary. There, they seized two cell phones—a Xiaomi Redmi and an iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The court granted the prosecutor’s motion and placed both phones under seizure, prohibiting their disposal, use, or transfer. The devices are to be examined as part of the criminal proceedings.

The investigation is being conducted on grounds of abuse of influence, as provided for in Part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Андрій Колісніченко