The SAPO accuses former First Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, Volodymyr Orlov, of soliciting a bribe from a private company in exchange for granting long-term use of a forest land plot. However, the HACC acquitted him.

According to the investigation, in early 2024, a private enterprise sought to lease forest land plot for recreational purposes.

ALFA WAREHOUSE LLC submitted an application to the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration seeking allocation of a state-owned forest land plot of approximately 19 hectares, located within the Pishchanka territorial community of Novomoskovsk District, Dnipropetrovsk Region. However, in two letters issued by the RSA’s Department of Ecology and Natural Resources, the company was denied allocation of the requested plot.

A representative of ALFA WAREHOUSE LLC approached O. Torop (Oleksii Honchar, who is also a complainant in the case involving former Head of the State Judicial Administration Oleksii Salnikov) with a request to help determine why the company’s request for a land plot had been denied despite the submission of all required documents.

Torop (Honchar) was acquainted with Orlov, First Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration, and met with him. During the meeting, he informed Orlov that he represented the interests of ALFA WAREHOUSE LLC and asked whether Orlov knew the reasons for the refusal to grant the company’s applications.

At that meeting, Orlov stated that he was aware of the RSA’s consideration of ALFA WAREHOUSE LLC’s applications and that only he, as First Deputy Head of the RSA—and acting head during the head’s absence—was authorized to make the relevant decision and approve the company’s request.

Orlov then stated that ALFA WAREHOUSE LLC would need to provide him with an improper benefit in the amount of USD 200,000 in exchange for issuing an administrative order allocating a forest land plot. He added that, in any event, the decision would have to be coordinated with the Head of the RSA.

Later, Orlov reported that he had coordinated the allocation of the land plots to ALFA WAREHOUSE LLC with the Head of the RSA, and that the relevant documents would be signed later in order to avoid suspicion that a favorable decision had been adopted after several prior refusals. However, at the next meeting he stated that they needed to wait for a favorable moment, and again emphasized that only he was authorized to approve the application.

Notably, after Orlov voiced his request for an improper benefit, he was granted leave, and on the last day of that leave he was dismissed from his position.

His actions were qualified under Article 368(4) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

However, Orlov’s defense argues that his actions were the result of provocation by Torop (Honchar) and law enforcement authorities. In an interview, Volodymyr Orlov stated that he had been groundlessly accused of committing a criminal offense, and that the prosecution’s key witness—Torop (Honchar)—is a citizen of the Russian Federation who has also changed his surname and personal data several times. Orlov maintains that Torop (Honchar) knowingly and deliberately acted as an agent provocateur and sought to set him up. In Orlov’s view, the SAPO prosecutor did not verify the reliability of the evidence provided by investigators and disregarded what Orlov describes as obvious manipulation by the investigative side. The former official also emphasized that he made no offers or demands and took no decisions, and that the case rests solely on the statements of a provocateur-agent.

The HACC acquitted Volodymyr Orlov. According to the court, his guilt was not proved by the prosecution.

Volodymyr Orlov previously held senior positions in the customs service. From July 2010 to December 2012, he headed the Sumy Customs Office, and from December 2012 to April 2013, he headed the Luhansk Customs Office. From December 2019 to early 2021, he served as head of the Southeastern Interregional Territorial Office of ARMA (Dnipro). He currently works as a lawyer.