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SSU and National Police detain former 'overseer' of Olenivka colony and his accomplices who terrorized several regions of Ukraine

Security Service of Ukraine

13:30, 8 September 2025

The Security Service and the National Police have neutralized a criminal group that tried to terrorize residents of five Ukrainian regions. 12 gang members were detained, including the former 'overseer' of Olenivka colony.

The investigation established that the gang extorted money from entrepreneurs under the pretext of paying non-existent debts. If they refused to pay the 'tribute', the racketeers threatened with physical violence against the victims and their relatives.

It has been documented how the criminals extorted USD 800,000 from the owners of a family business in Prykarpattia.

In another episode, the gangsters demanded that a Ukrainian Armed Forces soldier hand over his savings. To pressure the Ukrainian defender, they promised to 'visit' his relatives and destroy all of his family's property.

The group's actions were coordinated by four criminal leaders who position themselves as 'overseers' of several cities in Ivano-Frankivsk and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

During a special operation, one of them was detained right at the border while attempting to flee to a neighboring EU country.

The other members of the gang were detained at their homes, as well as while receiving part of the 'tribute' from the victim.

In addition to the four 'overseers', the network's members included criminals, most of whom had served sentences for robbery, extortion, and other serious crimes.

During 28 searches of the suspects in Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Zakarpattia, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Khmelnytskyi regions, the investigators found:

• almost 1.5 million in Hryvnia equivalent and seven premium cars;
• firearms, smartphones, flash drives, bank cards, 'IOU notes' from victims, and other material evidence of crimes.

The detained individuals have been notified of suspicion under Article 189.4 of the CCU (extortion, committed by a group, upon prior conspiracy, under martial law).

The decision to declare them suspects under Articles 255-1 and 255-3 of the CCU (establishing or spreading criminal influence, appealing for the use of criminal influence) is pending.

The suspects are in custody. They face up to 12 years in prison with confiscation of property.

The operation was carried out by the SSU Office in Ivano-Frankivsk region jointly with the National Police under the procedural supervision of the regional Prosecutor's Office.