In the spring of 2010, Yuriy Tsaruk, a modest farmer in Ukraine’s Rivne region, purchased a tractor that he hoped would modernize and expand his small agricultural operation. The $18,000 purchase, partially financed through an $8,000 loan, was meant to be a turning point for his family’s livelihood. Instead, within just two weeks of the tractor’s arrival, it vanished without a trace, setting off a legal odyssey that has stretched across nearly 15 years.

The case of the missing tractor, which became a subject of international attention through a 2019 OCCRP documentary, has come to symbolize not only one man’s battle for justice but also the deep flaws and corruption that plague parts of Ukraine’s law enforcement and judicial systems.

When the tractor disappeared, Tsaruk expected that police would act swiftly. Instead, he soon encountered an indifferent and corrupt bureaucracy. Officers allegedly demanded payments under the guise of “expediting the investigation,” while months and then years passed with little visible progress.

In April 2024, after years of appeals and delays, a Ukrainian civil court ruled in Tsaruk’s favor – at least on paper. The court acknowledged that he had suffered from “excessive, untimely, and superficial conduct of the pre-trial investigation,” noting that both Tsaruk and his wife experienced deteriorating health as the case dragged on. But the compensation awarded was a........

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