Bail Reduced for Oleksiy Tandyr
The Kyiv Court of Appeal has significantly lowered the bail amount for former judge Oleksiy Tandyr, who is accused in a fatal traffic accident, reducing it from approximately 120 million hryvnias to 20 million hryvnias. The crash occurred on May 26, 2023, at a checkpoint in Kyiv's Svyatoshyn district, killing National Guardsman Vadym Bondarenko, who is survived by a wife and three children. Prosecutors had requested that his pre-trial restriction be changed to custody without the right to bail, but the court ruled otherwise.
Reaction to the Court's Decision
Tandyr's lawyers had petitioned for a personal recognizance order or the complete cancellation of the pre-trial measure. They cited a ruling from the European Court of Human Rights, which found that holding the ex-judge in a pre-trial detention center for 2.8 years already violates the convention. Representatives of the deceased also expressed concern, noting that only 50 of the 100 scheduled court hearings have taken place, a point highlighting the case's protracted nature.
During the trial, witnesses confirmed that Tandyr smelled of alcohol after the collision. On January 28, 2026, a court had initially permitted Tandyr's release from pre-trial detention under the original bail of nearly 120 million hryvnias. The head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs offered condolences to the family of the victim, stressing that the tragedy is being investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation and that the guilty party must face fair punishment.
The reduction of Oleksiy Tandyr's bail has provoked outrage from the victim's family and the public, as it is seen as potentially undermining justice for a serious crime. This case is being closely watched in Ukraine as a test of judicial accountability.
The further development of the case and the court's final decision may impact public trust in Ukraine's justice system and the assurance of fairness in similar high-profile incidents.