Prosecutor General's Office announced on Feb. 14 that criminal proceedings have been opened against businessmen and former high-ranking officials recently sanctioned by the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC).
The list includes oligarch Ihor Kolomoisky, billionaire Konstantin Zhevago, former PrivatBank co-owner Hennadiy Boholyubov, Ukraine's 5th President Petro Poroshenko, and former pro-Russian lawmaker Viktor Medvedchuk.
"Each of these five individuals is being held criminally liable for committing serious and especially serious crimes," the Prosecutor General's Office said in a post on Telegram.
Poroshenko was charged in 2021 with high treason and aiding terrorist organizations for allegedly conspiring with Russian-backed separatists between November 2014 and January 2015. The scheme reportedly generated over Hr 3 billion ($72 million) in profits from coal supplies.
He said the decision to impose sanctions against him was politically motivated and unconstitutional.
Medvedchuk faces charges of high treason and violations of war laws, accused of helping Russia seize a Ukrainian oil and gas field in the Black Sea's Kerch Shelf.
He is also accused of passing secret military information, including the locations of Ukrainian military units, and creating a pro-Russian influence network in Ukraine.
Martin Fornusek
Kolomoisky is under investigation for embezzling over Hr 5.36 billion ($129 million) from a financial institution and laundering nearly Hr 4.1 billion ($99 million).
He is suspected of orchestrating the contract killing of a legal company director who refused to annul a decision regarding a shareholders' meeting.
Zhevago is suspected of embezzling $113 million and misappropriating Hr 608 million ($15 million) from a Ukrainian bank through a conspiracy with bank officials.
This illegal transfer of funds to offshore accounts caused major financial losses to the institution. He is also under investigation for involvement in a criminal organization and money laundering.
Boholyubov is being investigated for illegal possession of another person's passport and organizing an unlawful border crossing with the help of a border guard. He is wanted by Ukrainian authorities for his role in aiding illegal border crossings.
The sanctions freeze all assets held by the targeted individuals in Ukraine and block them from conducting financial transactions, among other restrictions. The decree states that the measures are indefinite.
Kateryna Denisova
