The Traffic Police issued a 40,000 fine to a blind man from the Kherson region

Artem Dubenko, a native of the Kherson region who completely lost his sight at the age of two, was fined nearly 40,000 hryvnias by the Tax and Customs Service. 

He shared this on social media.

According to him, he ended up on the wanted list because he had been removed from the military registry—something he was unaware of. As a result, he was fined.

Dubenko says that the police picked him up and took him to the nearest Military Registration and Enlistment Office. He had his pension card and military ID with him, both of which indicated that he had long since been removed from the military registry. However, this did not help: at the military registration and enlistment office, he was handed a summons and told to resolve the issue at his place of registration in Kyiv.

The man describes his attempt to have the fine canceled via the Cabinet of Ministers’ hotline as fruitless: his request was logged, but he received no response. It later turned out that the fine had doubled, reaching nearly 40,000 hryvnias.

This saga has been going on for half a year now. Dubenko hired a lawyer to challenge the fine in court, but the courts have rejected his claims three times. He spends money on taxis to travel to the courts and pick up rulings, and he also needs someone to accompany him. According to him, the courts are supposed to send the rulings by mail, but they do not, so he personally delivers them to the enforcement officer.

Dubenko works on the rehabilitation of veterans and military personnel and helps them. He has appealed to the authorities, asking who will be held responsible for the situation and who will reimburse him for the expenses he has incurred.

“When we talk about inclusion, why should I have to prove something I don’t even understand myself?” Artem asks.

Ірина Глухова