Ukraine Solved 536 Corruption Offences in 2020

In 2020, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) solved 536 corruption offences, including demanding and taking a bribe, embezzlement, abuse of influence, power or official position, and others.

A total of 90 criminal proceedings were instituted against high-ranking officials. In particular, officials of the “A” and “B” categories were served with 64 notices of charges. At the same time, 36 such notices were served in 2019.

The most high-profile cases in 2020 were as follows: exposure of illegal actions committed by heads of Kirovohrad Regional State Administration and Chernihiv District State Administration; deputy head of Zakarpattia Regional Council; two heads of regional departments of the State Architectural and Construction Inspectorate; head of one of the regional departments of the State Service of Ukraine for Geodesy, Cartography and Cadastre; and a number of heads of state enterprises and structural subdivisions of law enforcement agencies. All these actions concerned demanding and receiving bribes for various types of preferences.

According to the SBU data, a total of 1,218 pre-trial investigations were launched into the cases over corruption and organised crime last year, in which 1,763 people were served with a notice of charges. During this period, 379 people were convicted.

Natalia Tolub