“Under the procedural guidance of Kyiv's Darnytsia District Prosecutor's Office, four individuals were charged with organizing a forced labor ring under the guise of providing employment and housing," the statement read.
The investigation revealed that the suspects operated a sawmill to which they fraudulently brought in people from Kyiv with the promise of work, housing, and food. The suspects preyed on the unemployed, homeless, and other socially vulnerable citizens, luring their victims from near the capital’s train stations.
“People were forced to work without pay and lived in substandard conditions, all the while the profits from the operation went to its organizers,” the Prosecutor General's Office reported.
“The victims were forced into artificial debt bondage, had their documents confiscated, were forbidden to leave the premises, and had limited contact with the outside world. The victims were systematically plied with alcohol to keep them compliant.”
The investigation uncovered that each suspect played a specific role: scouting for victims, transporting them to the sawmill, and supervising them on the shop floor. The suspects beat the victims whenever they disobeyed or attempted to escape.
Law enforcement officials have identified 11 victims, and the search continues for any additional captives held in abusive conditions and forced to work without pay. Four individuals have been charged with human trafficking under Part 2, Article 149 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. They have been remanded in custody, with bail set between UAH 200,000 and UAH 800,000 (roughly between $4,400 and $17,700).