The Lutsk City-District Court of the Volyn Region has rendered a verdict against Vitalii Strilchuk, the former Deputy Head of the Cultural Heritage Protection Department of the Lutsk City Council. The ex-official was found guilty of abuse of influence and extortion of an illicit benefit amounting to nearly $30,000. Instead of serving prison time, the court sentenced the offender to pay a fine of 1.36 million UAH. The decision was issued by Judge Ihor Yaselskyi.
According to investigators, the corruption scheme began on February 2. Vitalii Strilchuk, acting through an intermediary, approached the director of the commercial enterprise LLC «Richtrans Lutsk.» The official assured the entrepreneur that for a monetary reward of $30,000, he could personally influence decisions made by officials at the Archaeological Service of Ukraine.
The matter involved the business interests of the company, which planned to begin sand extraction at the Kryzhivske deposit in the Lutsk district. To secure official permits for natural resource development, the enterprise required a specialized conclusion based on archaeological research of the site. This vital document was precisely what the official promised to «guarantee» through his connections in relevant state agencies.
«For $30,000, the official promised to influence officers at the Archaeological Service of Ukraine to secure conclusions required for sand deposit development.»
The illegal operation unfolded over several months. On April 24, during a personal meeting with the head of LLC «Richtrans Lutsk,» Strilchuk once again pressed the businessman regarding the payment of the agreed sum.
The final stage of the operation took place on April 30. The official’s intermediary received the bulk of the bribe — $29,900 — from the entrepreneur. However, the transaction occurred under the full operational control of law enforcement agencies, who documented the crime and apprehended the suspects.
During the court hearing, Vitalii Strilchuk fully pled guilty to the charges and cooperated with the investigation. The court classified his actions under Part 2 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (receipt of an illicit benefit for exerting influence on decision-making by a person authorized to perform state functions). Given his admission of guilt, the court opted for a monetary penalty of 1.36 million UAH. The sentence remains subject to appeal.
Vitalii Strilchuk has a long history of service in Volyn’s local government and state administration. He previously headed the Cultural Heritage Protection Department within the Volyn Regional State Administration. In 2023, he was appointed Deputy Head of the corresponding department at the Lutsk City Council, a position from which he officially resigned in May 2026 shortly after the corruption scheme was exposed.