The hunt for Oleg Druz: who benefits from the “setting in the dock” of a prominent scientist in the field of military psychiatry?

The story of Oleg Druz, the Chief Military Psychiatrist of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, is getting features of the political persecution rather than criminal prosecution. His months-long detention in a pre-trial detention centre, high-profile charges of illicit enrichment, and a disproportionate bail of 49 million hryvnias raise more and more questions — first and foremost: who benefits from this?

Several figures come to the fore in answering this question. First is Larisa Rodchenko, better known by her nickname ‘Goldfish,’ who is associated with a number of corruption scandals, manipulations in the military medical system, and, probably having personal motives against Druz.

❖ Who is Larisa Rodchenko and why is she back?

Rodchenko is a former military hospital employee who had previously been at the centre of scandals, particularly regarding the unjustified use of authority. It would seem that her career was over, but that was not the case. In 2024–2025, she returned to service at the Ministry of Defence, taking the position of a senior officer in the Department of Reintegration and Isolation Support. It is the unit that deals with the Ukrainian prisoners of war and also deals with state secrets.

Rodchenko’s appointment was formalised by the then-Director of the Ministry of Defence’s Personnel Policy Department, Oleg Yatsyno, another player in the web of incomprehensible personnel decisions. Rodchenko had neither the relevant education nor experiences in working with prisoners or classified information. Her rapid return to an important position was the result of backroom deals involving some officials.

❖ Why now?

Oleg Druz was detained on 21 January 2025. He is suspected of illicit enrichment of more than $1 million. The main version of the investigation is that Druz registered assets in the names of his daughter, stepson and other relatives. But so far, not a single confirmed fact has been made public that these funds are indeed of criminal origin. Lawyers have provided evidence to the court that his wife’s children, as well as his wife herself, had their own income and savings. However, neither the prosecutor nor the court took this into account, and as a result, the preventive measure imposed on Oleg Druz with an overestimated bail amount turned into a punishment, as the suspect has been in pre-trial detention for more than six months.

The lawyer claims that the suspect has health problems. Oleg Druz himself says that he is not going to flee, as he needs medical treatment. The bail of 49 million hryvnias looks clearly excessive, especially compared to other corruption cases, where suspects are released on much lower amounts or even on personal recognisance.

❖ Are there personal motives disguised as anti-corruption rhetoric?

An analysis of the circumstances of the case, its participants and the political background suggests that the arrest of Druz is not only (and perhaps not so much) a fight against corruption, but rather an internal ‘chess move’ in the struggle for influence in the military medical system.

“The Goldfish” Rodchenko and Сo. could benefit from the removal of Druz, an expert who had authority in the field of military psychiatry, opposed abuses in the Military Medical Commission, and was not a part of the sphere of influence of the old medical clans. His arrest opens the way for a redistribution of influence, positions, access to defence resources and tenders.

❖ What is the real reason for the persecution?

Oleg Druz was not just an official, he represented and was an institution. That is why his arrest is being used to discredit the entire school of military psychiatry that he had been creating for decades.

Actually, the prosecutor’s office accuses him of illegal enrichment, but there is no evidence of the origin of the funds or any real facts to support the investigation. The assets of his relatives have not been proven to be his property. Meanwhile, Druz has been in pre-trial detention for six months with serious health problems, in violation of the right to quality medical care and social protection for military personnel. He remains, first and foremost, a highly qualified military doctor who is so needed at the most difficult time for the state — during the war. (There is information about pressure from the relevant authorities on doctors from all institutions that provided assistance both at their place of service and in Oleksandrivka Hospital).

❖ Who is Oleg Druz?

Oleg Druz is a well-known Ukrainian scientist, teacher, lecturer, Honoured Doctor of Ukraine, and Colonel of the Medical Service. He is the author of 28 utility model patents. He stood at the origins of modern military psychiatry in Ukraine. It was he who developed methods for the psychological selection and support of military personnel and combatants, created the system of psychological rehabilitation for ATO (Anti-Terrorist Operation)/JFO (Joint Forces Operation) veterans. For his revolutionary, world significance discoveries in the diagnosis of psychiatric pathology, he was awarded a high state award, acquiring the status of ‘Laureate of the State Prize of Ukraine in Science and Technology,’ which he received personally from the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy in 2019.

His scientific activity includes dozens of published scientific works, implemented advanced protocols for psychological assistance on the front lines, participation in international medical initiatives. He has been a frequent participant in roundtables and discussions at the highest level of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on improving the system of mental health care for the military, and even then, according to the participants of such events, there was a clear tendency among influential government officials to prevent O.V. Druz from creating an effective and adapted system of assistance to the military, taking into account the challenges of today.

Or may be it happens out of personal envy, fear of losing his position or the opportunity to control the ‘financial flows’ allocated for mental health restoration. As the Chief Psychiatrist of the Armed Forces of Ukraine he opposed the mass, unjustified/illegal ‘dismissal’ of military personnel, which earned him both supporters and enemies.

His principled position on purging the Military Medical Commissions (MMC) of corrupt or incompetent elements, as well as his openness to the media and the public, made him a rare example of an honest officer in a system that is often built on closed schemes.

❖ A half-million-dollar media campaign?

According to several informed sources in military medical and law enforcement circles, Oleg Druz’s opponents have poured more than $500,000 into the media to discredit him as a professional and as a person. This includes funding for:

• “advertorials” publications with pre-prepared plots;
• organization of a wave of commissioned comments on social media;
• involvement of bloggers and pseudo-activists in a campaign to undermine his reputation;
• encouragement of certain media outlets to distort court materials.

It is particularly telling that none of these media calls into question the version of events proposed by the investigation, does not give the defence any chance to speak, does not analyse the objective facts from the point of view of journalistic standards. All this indicated a systematic information operation, aimed not at establishing the truth, but at destroying the authority of a person who has dedicated the years to building military psychiatry from the very beginning.

Thus, this is not only a legal but also an information hunt against one of the most professional figures in the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Military psychiatrist Oleg Druz means a systematic approach to mental health in wartime

At a time when millions of Ukrainians are facing deep psychological trauma caused by the war, one of the specialists who is consistently and professionally developing the system of mental health care in Ukraine is a military psychiatrist Oleg Druz. Being the Chief Psychiatrist of the Ministry of Defence he combines medical experience with a practical understanding of the needs of both military and civilian Ukrainians.

Druz pays special attention to working with military personnel who have been through combat and suffered severe psychological trauma. His initiatives focus on creating a sustainable system of psychiatric rehabilitation, which includes early diagnosis, psychological support, psychotherapy, and social rehabilitation after coming from the front lines. These approaches have helped to improve the process of return of the servicemen to a full life, both in the army and in a peaceful environment.

The programmes initiated by Oleg Druz are open, interdepartmental and interdisciplinary. In particular, efforts are targeted on involvement  of partners from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Social Policy, and educational institutions. One of the key areas is the development of nationwide mental health programmes for the entire population, with a focus on the consequences of traumatic experiences, losses, and prolonged stress.

Currently there is an urgent need to adapt the National Mental Health Program, initiated by the First Lady Olena Zelenska, to the needs of the military. Therefore, it is necessary to join forces to create accessible and effective mechanisms of psychological support both at the community level and on a national scale, for both civilians and military.

Activity of Oleg Druz demonstrates that it is possible to implement qualitative changes even in the extremely difficult conditions of wartime. His focus on human dignity, comprehensive rehabilitation and destigmatisation of mental health lays the foundation for not only physically but also mentally recovery of Ukraine.

❖ Conclusion

It is important to look at the case against Oleg Druz not only in a legal but also in a political and personal context. His arrest may be the result of a long-planned special operation to discredit him, supported by those who seek full control over military medicine in wartime.

Because sometimes the ‘fight against corruption’ is just a signboard. And behind it lies the good old greed for power, revenge and money.

But the arrest of Oleg Druz is not just a matter of wealth. It is an attempt to remove an honest professional who stands in the way of the old corrupt hierarchy. A man who built military psychiatry as a service which helps but is not a mechanism of “giving a skate”, “covering up” or repression. His arrest is an attempt to remove a competitor, a strong candidate for senior government positions.

If the judicial system continues to fulfil the whims of “internal oligarchs” in uniform, we risk losing not only specialists, but also the very credibility of the military medicine reform. The public condemnation of experienced, career military personnel based on premature, unproven allegations of criminal activity discriminates against the Armed Forces as a whole and undermines their authority and public confidence in the Armed Forces, demotivates citizens from defending the state and joining the Armed Forces, which can pose a serious threat to the national security and play into the hands of the enemy.

Інформагенство «УкрПрес Інфо» (UkrPres Info Information Agency)