Fictitious demining of land: a court in Mykolaiv region reviewed a case concerning the embezzlement of 29 million

The head of the farm admitted guilt — returned 3 million hryvnias

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16 Jun 2026

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In Mykolaiv Oblast, a court issued a verdict in a case of fictitious demining of agricultural land totaling 29 million hryvnias. The Snihurivka District Court found the head of the farm “VIOL-PLUS” guilty of complicity in official forgery of documents during the implementation of the state humanitarian demining program.

This is stated in the verdict of the court dated June 12, 2026.

According to the case materials, in 2025 the farm head submitted, via the State Agrarian Register, applications to de-mine more than 433 hectares of land in Bashtanka District. After that the Humanitarian Demining Center announced 2 tenders for the work with a total value of over 29 million hryvnias.

The case materials indicate that after the tenders were held, contracts were concluded for 15,000,000 hryvnias and 14,000,000 hryvnias. According to the investigation, these contracts became part of a scheme aimed at appropriating budget funds.

The court in the verdict describes how it evaluated these contracts within the criminal proceedings.

“As a result of the fictitious tenders, contracts were concluded for a total value of 15,000,000 and 14,000,000 hryvnias, which, according to the materials of the proceeding, became the basis for the “implementation of a joint criminal intent aimed at the appropriation of budget funds””.

According to the court, even before the works began, representatives of the contracting organizations knew that these fields had in fact already been demined and were being used for growing agricultural crops. Nevertheless, they prepared documents alleging the need to carry out works and then created the appearance that the works had been performed.

In December 2025 and January 2026, sappers, the court found, simulated the demining process on land plots in Bashtanka District.

The case materials describe exactly how the appearance of work being performed was created.

“A group of sappers, while on the territory of Bashtanka District, simulated carrying out demining works on land plots. This consisted of being located in a plantation near the fields, finding explosive objects and moving them from the discovery site to other land plots for the purpose of photographing and placing markers.”

The court established that the head of the farm was aware of the absence of actual demining. During meetings with representatives of the contractors he stated that the land plots had already been demined and sown.

Nevertheless, the man agreed to and signed acceptance certificates for the completed works, into which, according to the court, false information had been entered.

The defendant fully admitted guilt, entered into a plea agreement, provided incriminating testimony about other participants in the scheme, and returned part of the funds.

The verdict states that the prosecutor took into account mitigating circumstances, including remorse, cooperation with the investigation and voluntary compensation of part of the damage.

“When concluding the agreement, the prosecutor took into account circumstances that mitigate punishment, namely sincere remorse, active assistance in uncovering the crime by providing incriminating testimony about the criminal actions of other persons, as well as the voluntary compensation of the damage in the amount of 3,000,000 hryvnias”.

The court found the accused guilty under Part 5 of Art. 27, Part 2 of Art. 28, Part 2 of Art. 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine — complicity in official forgery committed by prior collusion of a group of persons.

He was sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment, a fine of 8,500 hryvnias and a ban for 1 year from engaging in humanitarian demining activities.

At the same time, the court exempted the convicted person from serving the main sentence with a probation period of 1 year. In other words, he did not receive actual imprisonment.