Paper disability to secure a deferment and $450,000: in Mykolaiv a suspended sentence was handed down to the head of the Medical‑Social Expert Commission (MSEC)
A suspended sentence and a donation of $220,000 to the Armed Forces of Ukraine
The Central District Court of Mykolaiv has handed down a sentence to the then acting chief physician of the regional medical and social examination center of the Mykolaiv Regional Council, Vira Belyakova, who was accused of obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, official forgery and false declaration.
This is the high-profile case around the Mykolaiv MSEC, in which the SBU previously reported large amounts of cash, jewelry, undeclared property and a Russian passport found in the official’s son’s possession.
According to law enforcement, the head of the Mykolaiv MSEC was exposed for corruption schemes related to evasion of mobilization. During searches at addresses linked to the suspect, investigators found over 450,000 US dollars and a collection of jewelry.
Most of the money, according to the investigation, was found in the apartment of her son — an intern medical student. Investigators also found a Russian Federation passport issued in the young man’s name. It was reported that the official’s son obtained Russian citizenship at the former Russian consulate general in Odesa before the full-scale invasion began. In wartime, this fact only intensified public resonance around the case.
According to the investigation, to hide alleged illegal income the head of the MSEC registered three apartments in her son’s name that were not listed in her declarations. At the same time, from 2015 to 2023 she officially declared income totaling slightly more than 2 million UAH.
Separately, law enforcement reported that in 2023 the official had arranged Group II disability for herself and her son, which provided eligibility for additional state social benefits.
The key episode of the case concerned a fictitious conclusion issued by the MSEC for a person liable for military service. The court found that Vira Belyakova, by instructing subordinates, organized the issuance of a false conclusion regarding a man subject to mobilization.
As a result, the person liable for military service was granted a Group III disability, and with it — the right to deferment from conscription. In other words, during the war, while some men are mobilized to the front, others could be given a “paper disability” through the MSEC system.
In addition, the then head of the MSEC was accused of false declaration. The indictment submitted to the court already included a plea agreement between the prosecutor and the accused, concluded with the participation of her defender.
Under the terms of the agreement, Vira Belyakova unconditionally admitted her guilt, agreed to cooperate with the investigation in another criminal proceeding and accepted the agreed punishment — 5 years of imprisonment with a probationary period to be determined by the court.
The agreement also provided for deprivation of the right to hold administrative-managerial positions in healthcare institutions for a period of 3 years.
A separate condition was a charitable donation for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the amount of 220,000 US dollars. Part of the funds — 110,000 US dollars, which at the time of payment amounted to 4,737,260 UAH — the accused has already transferred, partially fulfilling the terms of the agreement.
After reviewing the agreement and questioning the accused, the court concluded that it complies with the requirements of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine, and that the accused is able to fulfill the obligations she assumed.
As a result of the hearing, the court approved the plea agreement. Vira Belyakova was found guilty under Part 1 of Art. 114-1, Part 3 of Art. 27, Part 2 of Art. 28, Part 1 of Art. 366, Part 1 of Art. 366-2, Part 2 of Art. 366-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
She was sentenced to 5 years of imprisonment with a probationary period of 2 years. She was also deprived of the right to hold positions involving organizational-managerial and administrative-economic functions for a period of 3 years.
In addition, the accused must pay over 26,000 UAH to cover the costs of the expert examination.
Thus, one of the highest-profile cases around the Mykolaiv MSEC, which involved fictitious disability to defer mobilization, hundreds of thousands of dollars, undeclared property and a Russian passport in the official’s son’s possession, ended for the accused with a suspended sentence.
Earlier we wrote:
- Head of the Mykolaiv MSEC hid millions: three apartments, jewelry and a Russian passport
- Evasion for money: in Mykolaiv medics sold “disability” during the war
- They sold “exemptions from the war”: in Mykolaiv doctors were “closed” for a disability scheme
- Fake medical certificates during the war: the former head of the MSEC is on trial in Mykolaiv
- The head of the Mykolaiv MSEC is suspected of corruption, but is the case being stalled?
- Mass falsification of disability for those liable for military service in Mykolaiv: a group detained
- Fake medical certificates during the war: the former head of the MSEC is on trial in Mykolaiv
