Zelenskyy's former chief of staff Yermak detained with the right to bail

Alona Mazurenko - 14 May, 09:13

Andrii Yermak. Photo: Ukrainska Pravda

The High Anti-Corruption Court has placed Andrii Yermak, former head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, in custody, with bail set at UAH 140 million (US$3.18 million).

Source: court ruling announced on 14 May

Quote from the judge: "The motion of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) detectives is partially granted. A preventive measure is applied to the suspect Andrii Yermak in the form of detention for a period of 60 days from the date of his actual arrest.

Bail is set at UAH 140 million."

Details: If bail is posted, Yermak must appear before the investigator whenever required, inform authorities of any change of residence or place of work and not leave Kyiv. He is also required to surrender his passports and refrain from communicating with other suspects and witnesses.

This includes the suspects Chernyshov, Mindich, Lysenko, Opalchuk, Siranchuk and Medviedieva.

Yermak must also, if bail is posted, wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.

The court ruling is subject to immediate enforcement following its announcement. It may be appealed within five days of being issued and comes into legal force after the expiry of the appeal period.

Yermak's lawyers in the courtroom stated that they will appeal the High Anti-Corruption Court's decision.

Background:

On 12 May, the High Anti-Corruption Court began hearings to determine a preventive measure for Yermak in a case concerning the legalisation of UAH 460 million (around US$10.5 million) linked to an elite construction project near Kyiv.
NABU and the Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) conducted investigative actions in respect of Yermak on the evening of 11 May.
Later, Yermak was formally served with a notice of suspicion in a case concerning the alleged laundering of UAH 460 million during the construction of the Dynasty housing complex. According to investigators, some of the funds used for the construction may have originated from corruption schemes at Energoatom.
The prosecution asked the court to remand Yermak in custody with the option of bail in the amount of UAH 180 million (about US$4 million).

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