Large-scale searches at medical facilities: hospital director in Mykolaiv placed under suspicion

Police are conducting searches at 70 healthcare facilities across Ukraine. Photo: National Police

Following investigations carried out today, 20 March, at medical facilities across Ukraine, the chief physician of one of the medical facilities in Mykolaiv has been placed under suspicion. Sources within law enforcement agencies informed NikVesti of this.

It was previously reported that law enforcement officers are conducting searches at 70 medical facilities across Ukraine. The police are investigating the case regarding fictitious medical services and data manipulation in the electronic healthcare system. The losses could amount to hundreds of millions of hryvnias.

Investigative actions were also carried out in Mykolaiv.

The National Police previously reported that law enforcement officers are documenting schemes involving the misappropriation of budget funds that were intended for the treatment of Ukrainians under medical guarantee programmes.

«This involves fictitious medical services and data manipulation in the electronic healthcare system. According to preliminary estimates, the losses could amount to hundreds of millions of hryvnias,» the National Police said.

A pre-trial investigation is being conducted into the misappropriation and embezzlement of property (Article 191), abuse of power or official position (Article 364), forgery in the course of duty (Article 366), interference with automated systems (Article 362), official negligence (Article 367) and the legalisation of proceeds obtained by criminal means (Article 209) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

In October 2024, it emerged that searches had been carried out at the premises of the head of the Medical and Social Examination Commission (MSEC) in the Mykolaiv region. At the time, law enforcement officials stated that over $450,000 had been found in the possession of the acting chief medical officer of the institution, Vira Beliakova. More details on the Vira Beliakova case.

In December 2023, a criminal case was reported concerning the possible misappropriation or embezzlement of property on a large scale, involving the acting chief physician of the Mykolaiv Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital, Oleksandr Plitkin, and his deputy for medical affairs, Iryna Tkachenko.

In August 2023, the State Bureau of Investigations reported the exposure of a large-scale scheme to make money by issuing «fake» medical certificates of unfitness for military service at the Mykolaiv Regional Mental Health Centre. According to the investigation, this ‘business’ was organised by the director of the medical facility, Viktor Taran, who involved subordinate doctors in the scheme to produce the necessary certificates, as well as a law enforcement officer who was responsible for recruiting clients.