Corrupt police in Ukraine a big problem?

[temeculus]

I am contemplating moving to Ukraine or Romania. How serious is the police corruption problem in Ukraine as it relates to expatriate foreigners?

I have read several stories about policemen stopping foreigners and robbing them. I have heard that these are bogus policemen but I have also read stories from people who say that the policemen took them to the police station and robbed them there, so they were not bogus.

Thank you for any information.

[norviking01]

The problem is 100 times bigger in Russia than in Ukraine i have been in Ukraine totally 6 months and no problem at all, in St.Petersburg i was 2 days and get arrested one time every day

[BigJoe]

I'm native Ukrainian thus I'll give you one the top important advise. Whether you are honest or not; whether you are sure in your innocence - never give credence to militians, NEVER!!! They are hapless criminals but in the uniform still base, very dangerous and legal. The problem is in the staff. Nobody honest will want to become a militiamen because every miliatamen has no ability to stay respectable and to get earnest money for his work; he is only able to corrupt, cover up prostitution, drugs selling and serve criminality. It's the sad rule here. You'd better avoid them as norviking01 did.

[Comosicus]

Hello,

I am a native Romanian (living now in Sweden). If you have some questions about Romania, please feel fre ask me.

Police's behavior in Romania is now acceptable. No robbering or tracassation. I have some meets in traffic as foreigner car driver and the polismen was frendly.

But I am also curiosus about Ukraine, because I intend to travel there in hollydays.

George P.

[odon]

hello....

I was visiting ukraine last year for 3 weeks, and i have had good and bad experience....which i shall relate, i was moving out of lviv by train to kviv, with my wife (ukraine) and her relatives, it so happened i was the only man and the rest was females....and then walked two police, dressed in Black uniform and asked for my passport, so i gave it to them and i had all things in order, but because i have a lot of stamps, visa's to a no of countries, they started saying...some bull **** that i should come with them, my relatives and my wife starting to tell them that i have not done anything wrong, it was scary, as i did not understand a word and my wife was getting excited in ukrainian language, and we could not miss the train,as the following morning was our flight out of kviv.

Then appeared a ukrainian man, well dressed and came to me and asked in good english, "do you need some help?" i said that they were just checking my pp, and things should be fine, and this same man turned to the police and said in ukrainian.....is there anything wrong with his papers, why are you delaying his travel? the police was then so nice....they gave me back the paper and was out of sight before i could say thankyou......I still do not know who this man was, but it seemed he helped us, and the police seemed to pick on me as he founld that i was the only man around and no one could question their action.

So you will always find both in ukraine, very good people who will help you with out asking....and the police or the militia.....who wanna make some money as their salary is not enough....
I hope this piece will give you some insight to ukraine.....a beautiful country...indeed.