The SSU has uncovered a scheme involving the protection of porn offices in three regions
The SBU and the OGP, with the assistance of the National Police, carried out a large-scale operation to expose a corruption scheme within the National Police. According to the investigation, the heads of certain regional police units in the Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil and Zhytomyr regions may have facilitated the unhindered operation of a network of so-called ‘porn offices’.
According to the investigation, erotic and pornographic video content was illegally produced and distributed online from these premises.
On 20 May, investigative operations were carried out simultaneously at three main directorates of the National Police.
According to law enforcement officials, a driver from the vehicle fleet of the State Agency “Service Centre for MIA Units” may have acted as an intermediary in the scheme. The investigation believes that he used his connections among the leadership of the National Police to arrange for non-interference in the activities of such offices.
According to the investigation, heads of regional police units may have received 20,000 US dollars monthly for failing to take enforcement action, failing to document offences, and providing advance warning of potential inspections. A further 5,000 US dollars remained with the intermediary.
Investigators have documented several instances of money transfers. In February 2026, according to law enforcement, the intermediary received US$45,000. In April, he allegedly received a further US$25,000. The transfer of US$20,000 to a police official in another region via an acquaintance, who, according to the investigation, was unaware of the criminal intentions, was also documented.
Today, the intermediary was arrested after receiving another instalment of US$25,000. According to the investigation, US$20,000 was intended for one of the regional police chiefs, with a further US$5,000 remaining with the intermediary.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers detained:
- the Head of the Main Department of the National Police in Ivano-Frankivsk Region, S.V. Bezpalko
- the deputy head of the Main Department of the National Police in Ivano-Frankivsk Region, V.V. Yatsyuk
- A.B. Tkachyk, First Deputy Head of the Investigative Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Ternopil region
- I.D. Hulevaty, Deputy Head of the Main Department of the National Police in Zhytomyr Region
- and a driver from the vehicle fleet of the State Institution ‘Service Centre for MIA Units’.
During the searches, cash, communication devices, documentation and other material evidence were seized.
The suspects have been notified of the charges against them under Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. One of the law enforcement officers is accused of receiving an unlawful benefit on a particularly large scale as part of a prior conspiracy by a group of individuals.
The operation is being carried out with the assistance of the Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the Head of the National Police and the Internal Security Department of the National Police.
