Oleksandr Yurchenko Found Guilty of Bribery Charges
Former Member of Parliament Oleksandr Yurchenko has been convicted of bribery and sentenced to nine years behind bars. In addition to imprisonment, the court barred him from holding certain official positions for three years and ordered the confiscation of his assets. While he faced charges of bribery solicitation through an aide and abuse of influence, Yurchenko was exempted from punishment on the latter due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.
Background of the Case
Yurchenko previously led the Kyiv city branch of the UKROP party in electoral district 211 (Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv) before joining the Servant of the People party. In the fall of 2020, he came under suspicion for demanding a substantial bribe. On September 21, 2020, the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) detained Yurchenko, setting bail at 3 million hryvnias. He consistently denied any involvement in criminal activity.
According to the case files, Yurchenko, acting through his assistant, sought the following from a representative of a foreign company:
- $13,000 to introduce amendments to the law on household waste processing;
- $200,000 to ensure the amendments passed in the parliamentary committee.
The assistant, Ivan Feshchuk, was apprehended by detectives from the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). On September 25, 2020, bail amounting to 3 million 1,656 hryvnias was posted for Yurchenko’s release.
On August 11, 2021, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office formally charged Yurchenko and his aide Ivan Fishchenko. President Volodymyr Zelensky publicly responded to this case, emphasizing:
"Every official, minister, and lawmaker must firmly remember this simple truth: if you steal — you will go to jail; if you take a bribe — you will go to jail."
This case has become a significant milestone in Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts, illustrating that legal accountability applies regardless of an individual’s political standing. Yurchenko’s conviction and sentencing send a clear message to public officials about the importance of adhering to ethical norms and the rule of law. Moreover, it highlights the crucial role that anti-corruption agencies play in combating graft across the country.