The bribery crime allegedly took place in the port city of Izmajil in the Odessa region. The men, who work with issuing seaman’s certificates, are said to have helped Ukrainian men to avoid serving in the army. This is reported to have happened by the men having helped the buyers pass the tests that must be passed in order to obtain a shipping certificate.
The buyers reportedly paid between US$700 and US$1,200 for the services, depending on how knowledgeable about shipping and how much money the buyer could pay. During the time of the arrest, the men had earned almost 2 million Ukrainian hryvnia, which corresponds to around 600,000 kroner.
Arrested in the act
According to the Odessa prosecutor’s office, the men were caught red-handed when they accepted a suspected bribe. The two suspects are in custody and a preliminary investigation is ongoing. If convicted, they face up to ten years in prison.
Zelenskyj has previously said that corruption should be compared to treason during wartime, according to The Kyiv independent on August 27 of this year.