Poltava deputy Viktor Bulat was found guilty of corruption; however, the court released him without any punishment.

The long-standing saga involving former head of the State Emergency Service laboratory, Viktor Bulat, has concluded in Poltava. He was caught accepting a bribe of 10,000 hryvnias eight years ago.

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As reported by “Poltavshchyna,” in 2016, an entrepreneur from the village of Derevky sought to open a sawmill. Through an acquaintance who was a forester, he connected with the head of the local State Emergency Service unit, who introduced him to his friend – Colonel Viktor Bulat.

During their meeting, Bulat scribbled "400" on a piece of paper, explaining that this was a conditional unit. At the exchange rate of that time, the amount totaled 10,000 hryvnias.

The entrepreneur decided to speak up and reported the incident to the military prosecutor's office. A special operation was organized swiftly: the money was handed over to Bulat, and he was apprehended right at the State Emergency Service office on Reshetylivska Street.

And then?

Bulat's lawyers claimed it was a provocation and that the entrepreneur had no intention of starting a business. However, the investigation found otherwise. Unfortunately, over the two years of the case, procedural errors emerged, leading the October District Court of Poltava to acquit Bulat in 2018.

The prosecution did not give up and contested the decision. It was only in 2024 that the Appellate Court found Bulat guilty of corruption and sentenced him to three years in prison. However, Bulat immediately evaded punishment due to the lengthy duration of the proceedings.

What’s next?

Despite the court's ruling, Bulat managed to build a political career. In 2020, he joined the team of Poltava Mayor Oleksandr Mamai, and a year later, he became a city council deputy. During his tenure, Bulat received several awards, including a medal from Luhansk volunteers and an order for his contribution to public welfare from the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Now, Viktor Bulat can officially be labeled a corrupt individual, but it seems this will change little: he will not be going to prison, and his political activities continue.