The Security Service of Ukraine prevented the appropriation of property worth UAH 50 million (USD 1,850,000) of Khadzhybei Children's Specialized Clinical Sanatorium, owned by the Ministry of Health.

Allegedly, the perpetrators tried to take possession of all the property of the medical institution, which is located in economically attractive area on the Black Sea coast and specializes in rehabilitation of children with musculoskeletal diseases.

The SBU operatives established that at the initiative of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine in 2007 the sanatorium management concluded an investment agreement with a private entrepreneur to build a recreation center in the village of Kholodna Balka on the coast of Khadzhybei estuary. Under the terms of the contract, the investor was to perform the full range of design and construction works, as well as to finance the reconstruction of other facilities of the health resort: gasification, overhaul and procurement of vehicles for the institution. After execution of the contract, the sanatorium was to transfer the consolidated recreation center together with the land to a commercial company.

Despite the fact that construction had not yet begun, in 2018 the investor decided to win by court action the land in the resort area and other health resort property.

The SBU-initiated inspection found that such actions contradict domestic legislation on investment activities and management of state-owned facilities. In addition, this contract was not agreed with the State Property Fund of Ukraine.

The criminal proceedings were initiated upon the fact of attempt to illegally seize state property (Part 2 of Art. 15 and part 5 of Art. 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

The court seized the property of the medical institution.

Investigation is ongoing in order to establish all the circumstances of the case and bring to justice other persons involved in the crime.

The operation was carried out jointly with the Investigative Department of the Main Directorate of National Police in Odesa region under the supervision of the regional Prosecutor's Office.