Police investigate embezzlement in Kherson academy during occupation

Law enforcement officers are investigating a case of possible embezzlement at the Kherson State Maritime Academy during the Russian occupation of the city. It is about UAH 1.2 million.

This is reported by the Anti-Corruption Dimension, citing data from the court register.

According to the investigation, the academy's management entered into 21 contracts with a private entrepreneur for the supply of food products totaling 486.8 thousand hryvnias. The audit found that more than UAH 67 thousand of this amount was spent on the purchase of goods at inflated prices.

In addition, in April 2022, when the city was already under the control of the occupiers, the academy signed a contract with a private security firm for almost 170 thousand hryvnias for dormitory security services. At the same time, the educational process was taking place remotely at that time, and the cadets were not actually in the dormitories or in the academy buildings.

Investigators are trying to obtain evidence of the movement of budget funds, in particular through access to the bank accounts of the entrepreneur who signed contracts with the academy. However, the Kherson City Court has already denied the investigators' requests three times, citing insufficient justification for interfering with bank secrecy.

Although the name of the academy is not explicitly mentioned in the court materials, the context of the case suggests that it is most likely the Kherson State Maritime Academy.

Earlier, Intent wrote that the Kherson State Maritime Academy, together with the Maritime Professional College, was temporarily relocated to Odesa for the period of martial law.

Kherson became the first regional center captured by Russian troops after the invasion on February 24, 2022. The city came under occupation on March 2. The Russians established their administration there, brutally suppressed pro-Ukrainian rallies, kidnapped activists, teachers, and farmers, and introduced the ruble, passports, and Russian education. Despite the occupation, a guerrilla movement was active in the city, helping the Ukrainian armed forces. In August-November 2022, the Ukrainian army launched a counteroffensive and liberated Kherson on November 11. After the liberation, the Russians shelled the city daily from the left bank of the Dnipro River.

Ірина Глухова