The apartment is intact, but on paper it’s in ruins: how a police officer received UAH 2.6 million for new housing

A police officer’s service apartment in the Shevchenkivska community in Mykolaiv Oblast may have been presented as housing destroyed by shelling after it had been repaired, in order to obtain UAH 2.6 million in compensation under the eRecovery programme. The head of the community, Oleh Pylypenko, his deputy and a community police officer are suspected in the case.

The story began in March 2022: shelling caused minor damage to the service apartment where the police officer lived. New windows and doors were later installed, and the roof was repaired. The work was paid for with community funds and charitable assistance.

According to investigators, the community head, his deputy and the police officer may then have arranged a scheme to unlawfully obtain state aid. First, the police officer was helped to privatise the service apartment. At the same time, the building had not been officially declared unsafe, and funding to restore the housing had already been allocated.

The next step was a village council decision to change the property’s status and legal address. Instead of an apartment, the documents listed a separate residential house with a different number. A special commission then drew up an inspection report stating that the house had been destroyed as a result of Russia’s armed aggression and was unfit for habitation.

These documents provided the grounds for issuing the police officer a housing certificate. He used the compensation to purchase an apartment in Mykolaiv.

The individuals involved in the case were notified of the following suspicions:

• the community head and his deputy — abuse of office resulting in grave consequences;
• the police officer — aiding and abetting this crime.

All three were suspended from their positions and placed under pretrial restrictions. The article carries a penalty of up to 6 years in prison. Law enforcement agencies are taking steps to recover the losses caused to the state.

The investigation is being conducted by the Mykolaiv Territorial Department of the State Bureau of Investigation. Procedural oversight is provided by the Mykolaiv Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

Meanwhile, the Mykolaiv Court of Appeal continues to hear appeals in the case of Oleh Pylypenko. His defence is challenging his suspension from office, ordered by the Inhulskyi District Court of Mykolaiv on October 7, as well as the imposition of bail in the amount of UAH 499,200.

We previously reported:

• Half a million in bail and a ban on managing the community: Pylypenko’s defence cites risks to the community
• Mykolaiv court refuses to explain how its head privatised a service apartment
• As 8,500 Mykolaiv residents wait, judges and prosecutors privatise service apartments
• Compensation for damaged housing: what has changed
• Ukrainians can now apply for compensation for destroyed housing