Odesa Police Arrest Two Military Officers for $4,000 Bribery Scheme

The Police and the Security Service of Ukraine detained two military officers in Odesa who are suspected of influence peddling.

This was reported by the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa Oblast.

Investigators believe that the detainees offered to assist a serviceman who was due to undergo a military medical examination to be declared unfit or partially fit for service with further transfer to a rear military unit. They estimated their services at $4,000. For this amount, they promised to influence members of the military medical commission. And in case of refusal to provide money , they threatened to create artificial obstacles and unfavorable decisions of the MEC.

In addition, another deal of the younger detainee was revealed - he offered the wife of a serviceman to help move her husband to a military unit stationed in the rear in exchange for $3,000. He convinced the woman that he had influence on the military leadership and intimidated her that her husband would be involved in direct participation in hostilities if she refused to provide the money.

Law enforcement documented both transactions and stopped the men's actions after they received the full amount from the woman and half from the man. The money and other items of interest to the investigation were seized as material evidence.

Investigators have now served the suspects with a notice of suspicion of obtaining an undue advantage to influence the decision-making of a person authorized to perform public functions, combined with extortion of undue advantage, in particular committed by a group of persons. In accordance with the sanction of part 3 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. If proven guilty, the detainees face imprisonment for up to eight years with confiscation of property.

Кирило Бойко