In Odesa, police officers were caught extorting money from men under the threat of mobilization

Odesa police officers allegedly extorted money from men by threatening them with mobilization.

This was reported to journalists by sources in the city’s police, and the information is also supported by materials in the court register.

According to the sources’ account, three criminal-investigation officers allegedly formed an organized group to extort money from people who had gone AWOL (SOCH / SZCh) and from draft evaders, with more than a dozen alleged extortion episodes.

The source says the three officers—one of whom was the group’s leader—began the scheme in mid-last year. Using official databases of people wanted in connection with mobilization, they allegedly identified targets, detained them, and demanded several thousand dollars so they would not be taken to a TCC. The source also claims the officers repeatedly planted drugs and ammunition in victims’ pockets or cars and then blackmailed them. The “price for freedom” allegedly ranged from $5,000 to $15,000.

The source says police received information about the officers’ actions, so surveillance began in September. On February 11, during another alleged extortion attempt, two officers were detained. The alleged leader initially escaped but was arrested two days later. All three are reportedly now in pre-trial detention. The source named them as Yevhenii Borys, Stanislav Lysetskyi, and Denys Ivaniuk.

The source added that this is not an isolated case of extortion under the threat of mobilization.