Zhytomyr Official Demanded Bribe

An official of one of the city councils in the Korosten region was reported on suspicion of extortion and receiving a bribe. According to the investigation, the official demanded money from a local entrepreneur - 100 hryvnias per cubic meter of wood - for the deforesting of land plots. The suspect has now been removed from his position and is being held in custody with the right to post bail.

Ivanna Siletska, press officer of the Zhytomyr region police, told Suspilny about this.

According to the investigation, the 63-year-old civil servant met with a local business owner in the spring of 2025. Then the official first began to demand from the entrepreneur a monthly payment of 100 hryvnias for each cubic meter of harvested wood.

In case of disagreement, the man threatened with fake inspections by the environmental inspection, problems with law enforcement agencies, and other pressure. The official first received money from the businessman on June 3 in the amount of 35 thousand hryvnias. After that, the extortion continued, so the businessman also gave the suspect coupons for one hundred liters of fuel.

The man was charged under Part 3 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - receiving an unlawful benefit by an official for failure to commit acts in the interests of the person providing the unlawful benefit, using his official position, combined with the extortion of an unlawful benefit. The suspect faces a sentence of imprisonment for a term of 5 to 10 years with deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for a term of up to 3 years and confiscation of property.

According to Ivanna Siletska, the other day the court removed the suspect from his position and chose a preventive measure - detention with the possibility of posting bail in the amount of 151,400 hryvnias.

We also reported that the Appeals Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court scheduled a hearing on October 8 on the appeal against the verdict sentencing former Chairman of the Ternopil Regional Council Mykhailo Holovko to 9 years in prison.