The State Labor Service has uncovered a scheme involving the sale of permits for hazardous work
The Southern Regional Office of the State Labor Service has uncovered a large-scale corruption scheme involving the sale of permits for hazardous work and the passing of exams in exchange for money. First Deputy Head of the Office Denys Mezenko was detained after receiving another payment, and charges have already been filed against him. This was reported by the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
According to the investigation, in 2026, officials at the department allegedly established a system in which oversight of labor law compliance became a source of illicit enrichment. Instead of conducting actual inspections and safety procedures, they set up a “streamlined process” for administering occupational safety exams and issuing permits for high-risk work.
In effect, companies and employees were forced to pay for the opportunity to obtain work permits; otherwise, procedures were artificially complicated, which could lead to production stoppages. This involves electricians, gas workers, welders, construction workers, high-altitude workers, and other specialists on whom workplace safety directly depends.
According to the investigation, the scheme involved a whole system of roles: intermediaries were recruited, functions were distributed among officials, and cover-up mechanisms were used. To transfer the money, law enforcement officials say, they even used an illegal currency exchange office.
The scheme reportedly generated approximately 700,000 hryvnias per month from several companies. He was detained during just one of the money transfers, when the official received 428,000 hryvnias.
The court imposed a pretrial detention order on Mezenko, with the possibility of posting bail in the amount of 1,164,000 hryvnias. The investigation is ongoing, and law enforcement officials are identifying all those involved in the scheme.
We remind you that the Security Service of Ukraine detained another agent in Mykolaiv who was working for Russia. This is a repeat offender who passed information to the enemy about the locations of the Defense Forces.
Earlier, the Security Service of Ukraine issued an in absentia notice of suspicion against Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Trutnev, who is believed to be involved in supporting the war against Ukraine.
In Dnipro and Odesa, Russian agents were exposed for organizing arson attacks in the cities.
