Official who led seizure of UOC church detained for bribe in Khmelnytsky region

The acting head of the Khmelnytsky District State Administration, Viktor Palamarchuk, who led the seizure of the Holy Protection Church of the UOC in the village of Sutkivtsi, was detained by the State Bureau of Investigation for organizing a corruption scheme. According to law enforcement officials, Palamarchuk was suspected of helping men evade mobilization for money. This was reported by Hromadske.

According to the SBI report, the head of the district administration was a member of the commission for registration of deferrals from military service under mobilization in the Khmelnytsky United City Military and Civilian Conscription Committee. The SBI noted that at the end of 2024, it was approached by a local entrepreneur who wanted to know about the procedure for booking his employees. His company installs gas and water supply, heating, and sewage systems.

“The official said that the booking was currently suspended, but offered an alternative option. He said he had the “necessary connections” to recognize employees as partially fit, which would allow them to avoid mobilization. The cost of such a “service” was 1,500 USD per person,”  — the statement said.

According to the SBI, for this purpose, the entrepreneur had to provide medical documents of his employees, which Viktor Palamarchuk had to hand over to the head of the military medical commission at the Khmelnytsky TRC. In the future, a mark would appear in the military records of the employees on their fitness for service in rear units only.

“Having received the documents of one of the company’s employees, the official said that in order to obtain the necessary conclusion, it was necessary to “add” a diagnosis. He also assured that he would find a doctor who would issue all the necessary certificates,” — the SBI reported.

The State Bureau of Investigation noted that Viktor Palamarchuk was detained on February 18 while receiving 1.6 thousand US dollars. He was notified of suspicion of accepting an offer, promise or receipt of an undue advantage by an official. He faces up to 10 years in prison. The issue of choosing a measure of restraint and removing him from office is currently being decided. Investigators are establishing the full range of people involved in the scheme.

According to the Khmelnytsky Eparchy UOC, Palamarchuk took part in the forcible seizure of the Intercession Church of the UOC in Sutkivtsi, Khmelnytsky region, on May 15, 2024. According to eyewitnesses, he personally knocked the locks off the doors of the religious building.