On November 2, the High Anti-Corruption Court found Dina Pimakhova, former first deputy head of the State Migration Service of Ukraine, guilty of receiving and soliciting an unlawful benefit. The court sentenced her to nine years of imprisonment with confiscation of property.
This was reported by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO). The verdict was also confirmed by Transparency International Ukraine, which monitored the court proceedings.
In addition to imprisonment, the court banned Pimakhova from holding certain positions in state authorities and other institutions for three years, except for elected positions. The sentence also provides for the confiscation of all property owned by her.
The former official was found guilty under Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – solicitation and receipt of an unlawful benefit in an especially large amount.
According to SAPO, the case concerns two episodes related to the processing of documents for foreigners in 2017.
The first episode took place in June 2017. At that time, Pimakhova offered to arrange for a Vietnamese citizen a temporary residence permit in Ukraine for one year, with the possibility of extension up to three years.
For assistance in the document processing, the official asked for $1,800 in unlawful benefit, which she later received.
The second episode dates back to August 2017. According to the case file, Pimakhova offered to help an Iranian citizen obtain Ukrainian citizenship by territorial origin.
This involved the use of knowingly false official documents to confirm the grounds for acquisition of citizenship. Subsequently, the foreigner was supposed to obtain Ukrainian internal and foreign passports.
For organizing this process, the official demanded $30,000. However, the SAPO report refers specifically to the demand for these funds, not their confirmed receipt.
According to Transparency International Ukraine, law enforcement used a NABU agent during the investigation. However, the operation could not be completed after information about the detectives' work was leaked.
Pimakhova herself did not admit her guilt. During the trial, she claimed that she acted within her official powers and that NABU representatives allegedly provoked her into receiving the bribe.
The case was under consideration by the HACC for a long time. The indictment was submitted to the court in June 2021, and at the end of October 2026, the court heard the defendant's last word and proceeded to sentencing.
The verdict has not yet entered into force. According to SAPO, it will become effective 30 days after the announcement, if it is not appealed.
If an appeal is filed, the final decision will depend on the outcome of the case review.
Sources: Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office, Transparency International Ukraine, "HACC Decided" – case materials
