Former Judge Tandyr Sentenced to 9 Years for Fatally Running Over National Guardsman

Former Makарiv District Court judge Oleksii Tandyr has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for a fatal crash at a checkpoint in Kyiv. The court found him guilty of violating traffic rules while intoxicated, resulting in the death of a service member.

The crash occurred in May 2023. Tandyr was driving a Lexus while under the influence of alcohol when he struck a 22-year-old member of the National Guard of Ukraine. The guardsman was on duty at a checkpoint in the capital and died at the scene from his injuries.

An examination established that the driver began braking immediately before the collision. A bottle that had contained alcohol was found during an inspection of his car. After the collision, Tandyr refused to take a sobriety test and, during the forced collection of biological samples, attempted to substitute them with water and saliva.

The case was repeatedly postponed because of numerous motions by the defense. The trial was marked by the following:

• more than 50 court hearings did not take place following requests from the lawyers;
• the defense filed more than 30 motions to recuse the judge and prosecutor.

Separately, Tandyr asked to be released from custody in connection with mobilization. The court denied the motion.

The guilty verdict was handed down under Part 3 of Article 286-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This provision establishes liability for violating traffic safety rules while driving under the influence if the offense results in a victim’s death. The verdict may be appealed.

We previously reported:

• Reversing proved fatal: driver in Mykolaiv region sentenced to five years in prison
• Shocking dismissal: Judge Kniaziev caught taking a bribe, Judge Tandyr accused of murder
• In Mykolaiv region, drunk officer struck and killed a soldier at a checkpoint — court delivers verdict
• High Council of Justice approves arrest of judge who struck a National Guardsman while intoxicated
• Drunk judge strikes and kills National Guardsman at a checkpoint in Kyiv