The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) announced on 27/6 that they filed a motion with the High Anti-Corruption Court, requesting the suspension of Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov during the investigation. They also requested he post bail of 120 million hryvnia (USD 2.8 million).
Chernyshov was named a suspect on 23/6 in a large-scale illegal land appropriation case. Investigators allege that during his tenure as Minister of Communities and Territories Development from 2020 to 2022, Chernyshov and his associates undervalued a plot of land by 80%, resulting in a one billion hryvnia (USD 24 million) loss for the Ukrainian government.
In return, they received a 14.5 million hryvnia (USD 346,000) discount on apartment purchases.
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Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov in a photo posted on 25/6. Photo: Kyiv Post |
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksii Chernyshov in a photo posted on 25/6. Photo: Kyiv Post
Ukrainian anti-corruption bodies proposed these measures due to concerns that Chernyshov might obstruct the investigation. They asserted that the measures align with previous court rulings on major corruption cases.
NABU and SAPO also requested standard restrictive measures against Chernyshov, including a travel ban, confiscation of his passport, mandatory cooperation with law enforcement, and a ban on communication with other suspects and witnesses in the case.
If the court approves the request, Chernyshov will have 5 days to post bail. Failure to comply or violation of the stipulated terms could lead to stricter measures before trial.
Chernyshov left Ukraine a few days before authorities announced the case and arrested two of his former associates. While the deputy prime minister claimed it was a pre-planned business trip, critics suggested he was attempting to evade authorities.
Facing public pressure, he returned to Ukraine on 22/6 and reported to NABU the following day. Chernyshov has denied all allegations and stated he will not resign.
A close ally of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Chernyshov has held several high-ranking positions, including CEO of the national oil and gas company Naftogaz. He also currently serves as Minister of Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine.
Pham Giang (Kyiv Independent)
