Scandalous Odrex clinic advertises doctor Rusakov, who is on trial in a patient's death case

The private Odesa clinic Odrex has published a new video featuring surgeon Vitaliy Rusakov, in which the doctor is portrayed as a specialist who "saves patients' lives." This surreal PR campaign is taking place despite Rusakov being accused in a criminal proceeding under Part 1 of Article 140 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine – improper performance of professional duties by a medical worker. According to the investigation, these actions could have led to the patient's death, UNN reports.

In the new PR video, the Odrex clinic tells the story of a patient with a severe illness who was "brought back to life a second time." At the center of this story is a team of doctors, among whom the brightest "star" is surgeon Vitaliy Rusakov. By the way, in the video, he, not the saved patient, is given the most "airtime."

Screenshot from the video

This is not the first such PR case for the Odrex clinic. Back in late 2025, the controversial medical facility published another video with a similar message – in it, the positive outcome of a patient's treatment is presented as almost divine salvation of his life by Dr. Rusakov.

Screenshot from the video

Odrex Clinic's PR on a Suspect Doctor

Against the backdrop of these videos, a perfectly logical question arises: is it appropriate to advertise the medical facility and Dr. Rusakov as "life-savers" when this very doctor is currently in the dock in a case concerning a patient's death?

After all, Vitaliy Rusakov is one of two defendants in the criminal proceedings regarding the death of Odesa businessman Adnan Kivan within the walls of "Odrex." According to the investigation, during the patient's treatment, Dr. Rusakov may have committed serious violations of medical care standards. Specifically, after the operation, Adnan Kivan was not prescribed mandatory antibacterial therapy (antibiotics), and the doctor also failed to react to signs of postoperative complications. As a result, the patient developed sepsis, which, according to the conclusions of the collegial forensic medical examination, could have caused death.

It is absurd that a doctor accused in a medical negligence case is now becoming the "main character" of touching videos about saving patients at the Odrex clinic. Such a PR move looks, at the very least, inept. Instead of publicly explaining the situation surrounding the criminal proceedings and the death of businessman Adnan Kivan, the clinic chooses a different strategy – whitewashing the image of the controversial doctor.

Moreover, the medical facility essentially gives no clear signals to its patients: is this doctor allowed to practice, does the clinic consider his actions impeccable, or does it acknowledge at least some of the problems that became the subject of criminal proceedings?

Instead, it seems that the emphasis is deliberately being shifted: from difficult questions about the quality of medical care and Rusakov's professionalism – to stories with happy endings about saving lives.

And here arises the key question: is it appropriate to advertise a doctor, whose actions are being judged, as the face of the Odrex clinic? After all, this is not about an abstract conflict or a complex clinical case, but about a specific criminal proceeding where, according to the investigation, there is a question of possible non-compliance with basic treatment standards.

In such a situation, it would be logical to expect restraint, transparency, and responsibility in the clinic's public communications. However, Odrex, it seems, is doing the opposite – and thereby only intensifying public resonance around the case.

Currently, the court has already moved to consider the case on its merits. The preparatory proceedings have been completed, and the first court hearing is scheduled for March 23, 2026. Vitaliy Rusakov is under a preventive measure in the form of night-time house arrest and is obliged to wear an electronic monitoring device.

Personal relationship between Dr. Rusakov and the patient

The personal relationship between surgeon Vitaliy Rusakov and Adnan Kivan deserves special attention in this case. As Odesa journalist Zoya Kazanzhi said in an interview, Rusakov had been Adnan Kivan's personal doctor for many years, and there were close, trusting relationships between the families.

According to Kazanzhi, Adnan Kivan and his family fully trusted Vitaliy Rusakov as a doctor. This trust is illustrated, in particular, by gifts: during his lifetime, the businessman gave the surgeon an apartment with renovations in a new building, and also, in honor of the doctor's wedding, a brand new Lexus car.

At the same time, as the journalist notes, after the patient's death, Rusakov did not even apologize to the family and did not admit any responsibility. On the contrary, he began to deny his involvement in Adnan Kivan's treatment.

And this is despite the fact that Rusakov had been the businessman's personal doctor for a long time, regularly visited the patient at home, and performed medical manipulations outside the clinic.

The position of the controversial doctor Rusakov

The public position of Vitaliy Rusakov himself only reinforces the surreal nature of the situation. The suspect doctor published a post on Facebook in which he tries to cast doubt on the validity of the accusation. In particular, he states that the indictment allegedly "does not comply with the law" and also claims that "as a doctor, he still does not know what exactly he is accused of."

In addition, he seems to be trying to manipulate the situation and presents it as a potential precedent for the entire medical community. He writes that he is allegedly a symbol of the system's "unfair reprisal" against doctors in cases where the patient "simply could not recover."

However, such rhetoric looks rather ambiguous against the background of the essence of the accusation, which concerns not the course of a severe illness, but the possible non-compliance by Dr. Rusakov with basic standards of medical care during postoperative treatment.

Recall

According to the Prosecutor General's Office, law enforcement agencies are investigating at least 10 criminal proceedings involving the Odesa private clinic Odrex. Investigations have been initiated, in particular, under articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine concerning possible fraud, improper performance of professional duties by medical workers, and intentional homicide.

Against the backdrop of public outcry, the families of deceased patients and people who consider themselves victims of treatment at the clinic have created the public initiative StopOdrex. Activists of the movement have launched a website and a Telegram channel where they collect stories about negative experiences of treatment at the Odrex clinic, and also inform about the progress of criminal proceedings.