Ihor Kolomoisky in court. Photo: LB
Kyiv, September 25 — Businessman Ihor Kolomoisky, who is currently under arrest, said that he does not intend to pay a bail of 1 billion 877 million 360 thousand hryvnias, considering it a “criminal racket.”
The court session and the position of Kolomoisky
As reported by unian.During hearings at the Shevchenkiv District Court of Kyiv, Judge Oleksiy Glyan announced the decision to refuse to change the preventive measure for Kolomoisky from detention to house arrest or personal commitment. The businessman explained why he refuses to pay the bail: “I believe that this is a racket at the state level with the use of all power structures, including the judiciary.”
Kolomoiskyi also noted that he was warned about the possibility of a significant amount of bail even before the arrest, pointing out that “I was taken as a hostage, put in prison and demanded money.”
Lawyers defend
Kolomoisky’s lawyer, Vyacheslav Kraglevych, emphasized that the term of detention was supposed to end on September 2, 2024. However, the prosecution filed a motion to change the preventive measure to bail. Lawyer Oleksandr Lysak emphasized that the bail is excessive, and Kolomoiskyi does not consider it necessary to pay any money, as there are no reasonable suspicions.
The essence of the matter
Kolomoisky’s case was opened as part of an investigation conducted by the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and the Bureau of Economic Security (BES). The accusation concerns the companies “Ukrtatnafta” and “Ukrnafta”, in which Kolomoiskyi is a shareholder. He is suspected under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: fraud (Article 190) and legalization (laundering) of property obtained through crime (Article 209).
Conclusions and next steps
Kolomoisky’s case became a landmark in the context of the fight against corruption in Ukraine. His refusal to pay bail and statements about a “criminal racket” caused a wide response. Further actions of the lawyers may affect the trial of the case, and Kolomoiskyi will continue to challenge the bail set.
