Odesa Police Charge Serviceman and Activists With Hooliganism After Shooting

Police served suspicion notices of hooliganism to a serviceman of the Territorial Center for Manning and Social Support and two members of a public organization after a fight with shooting in the Khadzhybey district of Odesa.

According to the press service of the Main Directorate of the National Police in Odesa Oblast, one of the suspects came to his former neighbor's house while drunk to settle long-standing hostile relations, and not finding the owner at home, provoked a quarrel with his wife. The aggressive man was kicked out by the woman's neighbor. However, he soon returned to the house with four friends.

"The offenders broke down the door of the apartment, were rowdy and beat the citizen when he came out to them. During the fight, one of the defendants fired several shots from a traumatic weapon. Fortunately, no one was injured," said Vitaliy Orlov, the investigator in the case.

Investigators identified three attackers. They were local residents aged 31, 22 and 20. One of them is a serviceman of the Territorial Center for Recruitment and Social Support, and two are members of a public organization.

According to the police, this is the same organization whose members were detained the day before on the road near the city of Chornomorsk, Odesa region, after they had beaten and pushed a local resident into their car under the guise of the TSC.

Based on the evidence gathered, the detainees were notified of suspicion under Part 2 of Article 296 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This is a gross violation of public order on the grounds of manifest disrespect for society, accompanied by particular audacity or exceptional cynicism, committed by a group of persons. Such an offense is punishable by imprisonment for up to four years.

The location of the weapon is being established. In addition, the issue of additional legal qualification for actions with unfilled summonses that were seized by police during a search at the residence of one of the members of the public organization is being decided.

In July 2024, the Center for Public Investigations made a film "Guarding the Odesa C auldron" about civil society organizations. It combined three text-based investigations about more than 30 civil society organizations, including the NGO "Ukraine is a Mother":

• "Volunteers" for budgetary funds, bodyguards a la volunteers, and government-supported groups: who is behind Odesa's CFs
• Guardians of Odesa's rear: who is behind the civil society groups
• Guarding the Odesa "cauldron".

Already in September 2024, after an investigation by the CPR, prosecutors exposed the deputy head of the "Law Enforcement Assistance Unit" for corruption. He is suspected of helping to evade the mobilization of persons liable for military service.

Кирило Бойко