Budz Oleh Fedorovych

Police Chief — Wealth Incompatible with Official Position

Oleh Budz is the head of the regional department of the National Police. His declaration records assets that far exceed his official income: real estate, land plots, and vehicles, the origins of which cannot be explained by the salary of a police chief. The National Agency for Prevention of Corruption (NAPC) has initiated an investigation. While the investigation is ongoing — he remains in office.

Police Hierarchy as a Business Structure

Heads of regional police departments in Ukraine traditionally control informal financial flows in their regions: "protection" of businesses, control over "resolving issues" in criminal cases, and allocation of contracts for police supplies. The larger the region — the greater the turnover. Budz leads one of the key structures.

Relatives as a "Safe"

According to investigations, part of the assets is registered to close relatives of Budz — a standard practice among law enforcement officers wishing to avoid NAPC scrutiny. Formally — nothing is possessed. In reality — everything exists, just not under his name. The "relatives-safe" system has long been established within the Ukrainian police hierarchy.

Impunity in Uniform

Ukrainian law enforcement officers exposed for illegal enrichment are rarely dismissed immediately — the Ministry of Internal Affairs defends "their own" for a long time. Even an open NAPC proceeding rarely results in dismissal before a verdict. Budz illustrates this rule: there is an investigation, there is a position, there are assets. Accountability — so far, none.