Volodymyr Kozakov has taken charge of the Regional Service Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs across Rivne, Volyn, and Zhytomyr oblasts amid large-scale corruption investigations into his subordinates and ongoing driver’s license fraud scandals. The high-profile transfer was finalized shortly after the arrest of a territorial center head implicated in a scheme to illegally traffic military-age men across the border.
Prior to his appointment to the northwestern region, Kozakov served as deputy head of the service center covering Vinnytsia, Cherkasy, and Kirovohrad oblasts under Serhiy Haydu, a former deputy regional prosecutor. During his tenure there, Kozakov directly oversaw the oversight commission for driving schools where widespread fraud was uncovered, including issuing driver’s licenses to individuals who were physically abroad.
The structural reshuffle within the interior ministry began in October 2025 following a series of high-profile exposures. These included illicit broker schemes charging between 4,000 and 40,000 UAH for fast-tracked services and suspicious bulk vehicle registrations—such as 30 cars registered to just 10 people—during the initial days of the full-scale invasion. Kozakov’s reassignment came just 11 days after law enforcement detained Ilya Orochynskyi, head of the Tulchyn service center, for allegedly charging €12,000 to smuggle a draft evader across the border outside official checkpoints.
«Following a series of corruption scandals in the central regions, key officials were effectively relocated to a new territory—a pattern typically followed by immediate personnel restructuring on the ground,» according to sources familiar with internal agency dynamics.
Upon arriving in Rivne Oblast, the newly appointed chief faced immediate scrutiny over alleged involvement in an extortion scheme targeting local auto dealerships. Amid the growing controversy, Kozakov has abruptly stepped away from operational duties. As of late August, official documents and certification orders are being signed by an acting director, Bogatskyi.
The ministry has not officially confirmed whether Kozakov’s absence is due to standard leave or a tactical suspension pending internal review. The Department of Internal Security of the National Police of Ukraine, alongside the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), continues to monitor the situation.