NABU's Appeal to the President and Security Service
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has formally requested that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) initiate sanctions against former Member of Parliament Yuriy Ivanyushchenko. This request follows an investigation into a land fraud case concerning the 'Stolychnyi' market. NABU detectives uncovered persistent financial links between the suspect and the aggressor state, Russia, including evidence that companies connected to Ivanyushchenko operated in temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories and within Russia itself, paying taxes into the Russian federal budget.
According to NABU, the suspect used a Russian passport and maintained connections with individuals involved in financing the armed formations and occupation authorities of the terrorist state. In early September 2025, NABU served suspicion notices to Yuriy Ivanyushchenko, Vladyslava Molchanova, former head of the Kyiv Regional Department of the State Geocadastre Mykola Tereshchenko, and two other individuals. The suspicions were served under the following articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Article 191-5 (misappropriation, embezzlement, or seizure of property through abuse of office)
- Article 209-3 (legalization (laundering) of criminally obtained income)
Investigation and Arrest
The investigation alleges that in the spring of 2021, during a corporate conflict for control over the 'Stolychnyi' market on the outskirts of Kyiv, the suspects in the case decided to siphon off the market's assets. The case involves 9 land plots with a total area of 18 hectares, which were sold based on sham transactions to three companies linked to Vladyslava Molchanova. In October of last year, the High Anti-Corruption Court placed Ivanyushchenko under arrest in absentia, but this arrest was canceled in December.
Yuriy Ivanyushchenko left Ukraine in December 2014 and currently resides with his family in Monaco. In January 2015, he was declared wanted on suspicion of misappropriation and seizure of property through abuse of office, as well as extortion and illicit benefit by an official. However, in 2017, the Supreme Court of Ukraine closed all criminal proceedings against him, and his name was removed from the European Union's sanctions lists. This case highlights the complex challenges of pursuing justice against individuals who have left the country and secured legal protections abroad.
'During the investigation, detectives uncovered the suspect's persistent financial ties with the aggressor state. Specifically, evidence was established of companies linked to the suspect operating in the temporarily occupied territories and on the territory of the Russian Federation, which paid taxes to the Russian budget.' National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine
This situation underscores the critical importance of combating corruption and abuse in Ukraine, especially under conditions of martial law and the ongoing threat from the Russian Federation. The pursuit of international sanctions could be a vital step in disrupting the financing of aggression and supporting Ukraine's economic integrity. The response of state institutions to these challenges may significantly impact the scale of corrupt schemes in the country and strengthen public trust in law enforcement agencies.
The ongoing efforts to combat corruption in Ukraine are underscored by recent actions taken against various individuals and entities linked to Russian influence. In a related context, Ukraine has also imposed sanctions on Russian judges, reflecting the broader strategy to dismantle networks that threaten national sovereignty. Such measures highlight the critical need for vigilance against those who exploit power for personal gain while undermining the country's integrity.