Prosecutors of the Specialized Prosecutor's Office in the Defense Sector of the Southern Region uncovered a lieutenant colonel of one of the military units in the Odesa region for extortion and receiving illegal benefits (part 3 of article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The investigation established that the officer demanded money from servicemen for influence over officials of the prosecutor's office and the command of the unit. For 45 thousand hryvnias, he promised to assist in filing a petition to the court for the release from criminal liability of two servicemen who had previously left the unit without permission, as well as in their subsequent appointment to positions from which they had been removed due to their unauthorized absence from service.

On October 22, 2025, law enforcement officers detained the lieutenant colonel while he was receiving the money. He was informed of the suspicion of extortion and receiving illegal benefits for influence over officials.

On October 24, the court chose a preventive measure for the suspect in the form of detention with the possibility of posting bail in the amount of 242 thousand hryvnias.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the investigative unit of police station No. 3 of the Odesa District Police Department No. 1 of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Odesa region, with operational support from the operatives of the 7th Department of the Military Counterintelligence of the Security Service of Ukraine.

Note. According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is considered innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.