Prosecutors in Khmelnytskyi Region Are Winning Court Battles to Regain Their Revoked Disability Status

Scandal Over Unjustified Payments to Prosecutors Takes a New Turn

According to Главком: An unexpected development has emerged in the scandal involving improper payments to prosecutors. Following a series of audits in 2024 that led to the cancellation of disability status for prosecutors in the Khmelnytskyi region, some of them are now successfully reinstating that status through the courts. Judges are ruling in favor of these prosecutors, citing procedural errors that occurred during the original inspections.

Last year, Ukraine saw a wave of audits across government agencies after a corruption scheme was uncovered at the Khmelnytskyi Medical and Social Expert Commission (MSEC). The Prosecutor General's Office confirmed that nearly 30% of prosecutors in the Khmelnytskyi region had been classified as disabled. The Ministry of Health reported that 33 prosecutors had their disability status revoked, while 23 others had their disability group reclassified. Among the 78 prosecutors in the region who were audited, disability was canceled for 33, according to investigators from NGL.media.

Prosecutors' Disability Cases and Corruption Revelations

In one instance, prosecutor Oleksandr Terletsky of the Khmelnytskyi Regional Prosecutor's Office failed to travel to Dnipro for a re-examination, leading to the automatic cancellation of his disability and his dismissal. The base salary for a district prosecutor is 52,500 hryvnias, while disability pensions for prosecutors can reach nearly 30,000 hryvnias. Pension caps for those who have lost their ability to work are set at no more than 10 times the subsistence minimum, which in 2024 amounts to 25,950 hryvnias.

The scandal escalated in October 2024 when, on October 4, Tetiana Krupa-head of the Khmelnytskyi Regional MSEC-and her son Oleksandr Krupa were exposed for illicit enrichment. During searches of their properties, authorities found nearly $6 million in cash. On October 7, the Pechersk District Court in Kyiv ordered Krupa to be held in custody with bail set at over 500 million hryvnias, which was later reduced by courts to 280 million hryvnias.

The situation continues to unfold, as in mid-October 2024, more than 50 prosecutors from the Khmelnytskyi region-led by former regional prosecutor Oleksiy Oliynyk-were reportedly in the process of obtaining disability status. This raises serious questions about the legality and ethics of such actions. Meanwhile, Andriy Prydruha, deputy head of the Ternopil District Prosecutor's Office, secured a lifelong Group III disability classification in May 2021, further highlighting systemic issues within the justice and social welfare systems.

"The scandal surrounding the disability status of prosecutors in the Khmelnytskyi region underscores systemic flaws in Ukraine's oversight and verification mechanisms."

- NGL.media

The fact that prosecutors are regaining their disability status through the courts casts doubt on the effectiveness of the audits and reveals potential corruption schemes within state institutions. This situation demands a thorough investigation and a comprehensive approach to fixing deficiencies in the social security and justice systems, in order to prevent future abuses.

The ongoing scrutiny of public officials continues to reveal significant issues within various government sectors. In a related incident, a smuggling operation at Lviv Customs has come to light, exposing nine officials who facilitated the entry of undeclared goods into Ukraine. This pattern of corruption underlines the pressing need for accountability and transparency in the public sector, further complicating the ongoing legal battles faced by prosecutors in Khmelnytskyi.