Police officer found guilty of extortion in Odesa

In Odesa, a police officer was found guilty of extortion during martial law. She offered a conscript "help" with traveling abroad.

This was reported by the Judicial and Legal Newspaper.

The Kyiv District Court of Odesa found the police investigator guilty of a corruption crime - a promise to influence officials for a bribe.

According to the investigation, in 2024-2025, a lieutenant colonel of the Odesa regional police offered a man who was liable for military service "help" with illegal travel abroad during martial law. They met by chance during a household visit by an appliance repairman. After learning that the man had no legal grounds for traveling and was financially solvent, the policewoman began to convince him of her connections and ability to resolve the issue.

She offered several schemes: fictitious documents about being unfit for service, crossing the border outside checkpoints or at an official checkpoint accompanied by "the right people." The most expensive option was estimated at 25 thousand US dollars, for which she promised to influence officials of the territorial recruitment center and the Border Guard Service, and planned to keep part of the money for herself.

The investigator demonstrated the "reality" of her capabilities, showed examples of documents, gave instructions on medical examination and border crossing. Her actions were stopped by law enforcement before she actually received the bribe.

The police officer's actions were classified under Part 2 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - a promise to influence decision-making by officials for a bribe. The court took into account the police officer's repentance, lack of criminal record and positive characteristics, found no aggravating circumstances and sentenced him to a fine of UAH 34,000.

A citizen of the Republic of Moldova was also taken into custody in Odesa. He offered a bribe to prevent a law enforcement officer from recording posts on social media justifying Russian aggression against Ukraine.

Анна Бальчінос