In the capital city, a Kyiv resident was detained for attempting to exploit trust by promising “priority” and employment in the police force, aiming to profit from the trust of a former employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs system
The incident occurred as part of a large-scale operation by law enforcement agencies, which established that the suspect was offering assistance in "securing" positions for money and promoting the idea of a quick return to law enforcement ranks. According to the Kyiv City Prosecutor’s Office and police, the 60-year-old suspect has already been informed of suspicion for abuse of influence. The report states that, abusing trust, he claimed to have close contacts with senior officials of the Ministry of Defense and the National Police, promising that for 170,000 hryvnias, he would guarantee the former deputy head of the regional service center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Zakarpattia regions the creation of a "reserved" spot and quick employment in a leadership position within the police. A source from law enforcement agencies reports that this man previously worked within the internal affairs system and was seeking to return, hoping for a rapid career advancement. The victim, Serhii Haponko, was offered "services" through his acquaintance with high-ranking officials—allegedly members of the Ministry of Defense or the National Police. According to interlocutors of "Ukrainian Pravda," the suspect demonstrated, with conviction, phone numbers of officials from government agencies and claimed he could facilitate a swift rise through supposedly influential connections. At the same time, investigators are establishing that all these promises were merely a cover for personal gain. The suspect exploited the trust of a former colleague within the system and demanded and received money for so-called "services." The final stage of the scheme was carried out during the arrest—at the moment of receiving the last sum of 44,000 hryvnias to complete the operation. In total, nearly 170,000 hryvnias were transferred to him during their communication. The deputy chief investigator confirmed that during the detention, the suspect was placed under arrest as a preventive measure. Additionally, he was offered a bail amount of 1.2 million hryvnias, which is still pending court review. Currently, additional investigative actions are underway, and law enforcement officials urge citizens to be cautious and not trust similar promises that may serve as cover for fraudulent schemes. The case is under procedural control, and law enforcement emphasizes that the "path" to a high police position through bribes and corruption has nothing to do with honest service and public values.