Former Ukrainian Lawmaker Ivanushchenko Hit with Arrest Warrant in Absentia by HACC

Appeals Chamber of the HACC Delivers Its Verdict

According to Главком: On June 16, 2026, the Appeals Chamber of Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) sided with a prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO), imposing a pre-trial detention measure on former parliamentarian Yuriy Ivanushchenko. Now living abroad, Ivanushchenko faces this ruling, which has taken legal effect and cannot be appealed.

According to available details, on that same date, the HACC Appeals Chamber reviewed appeals filed by both the prosecutor and the defense team. These challenges targeted a March 19, 2026, decision by a HACC investigative judge, which had previously rejected a request to detain Ivanushchenko. The chamber overturned that earlier ruling while dismissing the defense’s appeals entirely.

The Background of Yuriy Ivanushchenko’s Case

Ivanushchenko, a former member of Ukraine’s Party of Regions, has resided outside the country with his family in Monaco since December 2014. Authorities placed him on a wanted list in January 2015, and the HACC issued an in-absentia arrest warrant last October. However, that warrant was subsequently revoked in December 2025.

In early September 2025, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) notified Ivanushchenko, Vladyslava Molchanova, Mykola Tereshchenko, and two other individuals of their suspicion in a corruption case. They are accused under Article 191, Part 5, and Article 209, Part 3 of Ukraine’s Criminal Code. Reports indicate that in 2021, amid a corporate dispute over control of the Stolychnyi market in Kyiv’s suburbs, assets tied to nine land plots covering 18 hectares were allegedly diverted. These plots were subsequently sold to three companies linked to Molchanova.

In March 2026, NABU asked President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) to impose sanctions on Ivanushchenko. Notably, in 2017, Ukraine’s Supreme Court closed all criminal proceedings against him, and his name was removed from European Union sanctions lists.

This latest ruling from the HACC Appeals Chamber signals that the investigation into Ivanushchenko remains active, underscoring efforts to hold him accountable for alleged corruption-related offenses.

The Ivanushchenko case highlights the ongoing challenges in combating corruption in Ukraine, particularly when suspects reside abroad. The reinstatement of a detention measure demonstrates the determination of anti-corruption bodies to pursue individuals implicated in corrupt activities. This decision may also shape future actions concerning other parties involved in the case and influence the broader anti-corruption climate within the country.

As the Ukrainian legal system continues to address high-profile corruption cases, the recent ruling against Ivanushchenko highlights the ongoing challenges faced by former officials. In a similar vein, the court's approval of a plea deal resulting in a five-year prison sentence for ex-Supreme Court Chief Kniaziev underscores the judiciary's commitment to tackling corruption at all levels. For further insights into this significant legal outcome, you can read more about the court's decision regarding Kniaziev.