Serhiy Kalinin, deputy head of the SBU’s ‘Odesa’ sanatorium, has been formally charged with abuse of influence for systematically accepting bribes from a private entrepreneur. The investigation established that the official took a 10 per cent ‘kickback’ for ensuring the company won tenders for the state institution between 2022 and 2024. Law enforcement agencies are currently continuing their investigation into this high-profile corruption case within the SBU.
The Primorsky District Court of Odesa has already imposed a preventive measure on the colonel in the form of non-24-hour house arrest.
The main witness and whistleblower in this case is the official’s business partner — Maximilian Konshin, director of ‘Firma Elita’ LLC. According to the investigation, over a two-year period, the businessman systematically transferred money to Kalinin’s personal bank cards.
The bribes were paid to ensure that Konshin’s firm won marketing tenders, which guaranteed it subsequent contracts with the state institution. Specifically, this involved the supply of office equipment, stationery and printed materials for the needs of the departmental sanatorium.
Law enforcement officers documented several instances. Under contracts totalling 129,6 thousand hryvnias alone, the company’s director
Despite his involvement in the scheme, the director of ‘Firma Elita’ LLC managed to avoid severe punishment. The court fully acquitted Maximilian Konshin of criminal liability and closed the proceedings against him.
«The court took into account that the man voluntarily reported the corruption even before it came to the attention of law enforcement agencies from other sources, and also actively assisted in exposing the official who had been accepting bribes» the case file states.
The motion to exempt the businessman from liability was filed by the special prosecutor for defence matters. Meanwhile, Colonel Serhiy Kalinin faces a real prison sentence under Part 2 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of influence). The investigation is ongoing.