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Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court has eased the travel restrictions imposed on former head of the Presidential Office Andriy Yermak, allowing him to travel across a larger number of regions while remaining under procedural obligations.
The decision was announced by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office.
What the court changed
On Monday, August 10, a High Anti-Corruption Court investigating judge partially granted a motion filed by Yermak’s defense lawyers.
Yermak is suspected of money laundering involving assets allegedly obtained through a criminal scheme connected to the construction of a private cottage development near Kyiv.
Previously, he was prohibited from leaving Kyiv and Kyiv region without permission from an investigator, prosecutor or court.
The court has now expanded the permitted area to include Kyiv, Kyiv region, Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Sumy, Kharkiv and Kherson regions. He may also transit through other regions.
Why the restrictions were eased
The defense asked the court to expand Yermak’s permitted travel area after several similar letters were submitted to the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau by commanders of military units.
The letters were submitted in Yermak’s interests.
His lawyers argued that he needed to travel to additional regions because of his participation in a project providing legal assistance to military personnel.
Prosecutors opposed the request, arguing that Yermak’s existing restrictions did not prevent him from participating in the project because he serves as its head rather than as a lawyer directly providing legal assistance.
Yermak case
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office are investigating alleged money laundering linked to the construction of an upscale cottage development in the village of Kozyn, Kyiv region.
Investigators allege that the scheme may have been used to launder around UAH 460 million. Prosecutors believe the former head of the Presidential Office may have been involved in the organized group.
According to investigators, then-Minister of Communities and Territories Oleksii Chernyshov initiated the construction of a private cottage complex with a spa area in 2020. Investigators allege that he brought in co-investors with influence over political and economic processes in Ukraine.
The project was reportedly carried out through a housing cooperative controlled by a former deputy prime minister. Funding allegedly came from companies showing signs of fictitious activity, as well as cash linked by investigators to corruption schemes in the energy sector.
Other suspects in the case include Oleksii Chernyshov, businessman Timur Mindich and four other individuals. Yermak has denied all allegations.
The suspects face charges related to the legalization of assets allegedly obtained through criminal activity on an especially large scale.
On May 19, it became known that bail of UAH 140 million had been paid in full for Yermak, after which he was released from detention under procedural obligations.
