HAC sentences former DMS deputy head Dina Pymakhova to nine years in prison

Court determines punishment for receiving improper benefit

On 2 November 2026, the High Anti-Corruption Court (HAC) handed down a verdict regarding Dina Pymakhova, who previously held the position of first deputy head of the State Migration Service of Ukraine. The panel of judges found her guilty of committing crimes under Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code, specifically soliciting and receiving improper benefit on an especially large scale.

The court sentenced the defendant to nine years in prison. In addition, it was decided to confiscate all property belonging to her. Pymakhova was also banned from holding positions in state authorities and local self-government bodies for three years, except for those elected to office.

This was reported by the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAP). The name of the convicted person and the details of the case are based on materials from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and public data about the court proceedings.

Details of the 2017 corruption scheme

According to the investigation results, the first episode occurred in June 2017. At that time, Pymakhova offered a citizen of Vietnam to obtain a temporary residence permit in Ukraine. This document was valid for one year with the possibility of further extension of the validity period to three years. For assistance in resolving this issue, the official demanded 1,800 US dollars, which she subsequently received.

The second case involved a citizen of Iran. In August 2017, Pymakhova offered to organise the acquisition of Ukrainian citizenship by him based on territorial origin. According to the investigation's version, forged documents were planned to be used for this purpose, which were to confirm the foreigner's family ties with Ukrainians. Specifically, this involved falsified DNA test results and court decisions.

Thanks to this scheme, the foreigner could obtain a Ukrainian and foreign passport without having legal grounds for doing so. For organising such a process, Pymakhova demanded 30,000 US dollars. The detailed circumstances of both episodes are set out in the official NABU materials.

Conflict between law enforcement agencies

The corrupt actions were revealed during a NABU special operation conducted under cover in 2017. Detectives were documenting a possible scheme for the illegal processing of documents for foreigners with the involvement of migration service officials.

However, on 29 November 2017, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) detained a NABU agent during an attempt to hand over 15,000 dollars to Pymakhova. At that time, the State Migration Service stated that the agent was trying to provoke the official into accepting a bribe. Pymakhova herself also denied the illegal actions and claimed that she had contacted law enforcement after receiving offers to pass her money.

In turn, NABU reported that they were conducting an operation to expose a corruption scheme, and the interference of the SBU and the General Prosecutor's Office disrupted the investigative actions. According to the publication "Ukrainska Pravda", then NABU Director Artem Sytnyk stated that it was Pymakhova who first named the sum of 30,000 dollars for processing citizenship for a foreigner.

NABU also claimed that the operation was intended to help identify other participants in a possible corruption scheme, but it was not possible to continue it after the intervention of law enforcement agencies. In March 2018, Pymakhova was dismissed from the position of first deputy head of the DMS at her own request.

Court proceedings and the defence's position

In December 2019, NABU and SAP informed Pymakhova of the suspicion. At the end of 2020, detectives completed the pre-trial investigation, and in June 2021, the indictment was transferred to the HAC.

During the court hearing, the former official did not plead guilty and insisted that she was a victim of provocation. According to the Transparency International Ukraine project "HAC Decided", on 21 May 2026, the court completed the examination of Pymakhova, which lasted over three weeks.

The accused claimed that she did not have the authority to independently resolve issues of acquiring citizenship by foreigners. In her words, the processing of the relevant documents was handled by the territorial units of the DMS, while she was responsible mainly for technical and economic areas.

Pymakhova also stated that NABU agent Serhiy Tytynkov allegedly pressured her to receive improper benefit. On 28 October 2026, the HAC heard the final statement of the accused. She again denied her guilt and stated that she acted within the scope of her official powers. After this, the judges went to the deliberation room to deliver the verdict. Transparency International Ukraine reported on the last court session.

Possibility of appealing the decision

The verdict of the High Anti-Corruption Court may be appealed in the appellate order within 30 days from the date of pronouncement. If no appeal is filed, the decision will enter into legal force after the expiration of this period. In the event of an appeal, the final decision will depend on the results of the appellate review.