Investigation: Fugitive MP Odarchenko Resides in Gyuгurshchyna — What Is Known So Far
Forced to Hide Abroad: Since August 2023, People's Deputy from the "Servant of the People" faction Andrii Odarchenko has essentially become an outcast in Ukrainian politics. His whereabouts and the circumstances under which he fled his homeland are currently under close investigation by journalists, law enforcement officials, and diplomats. This is a family and political scandal that, against the backdrop of high levels of corruption in the country, reminds us of the need for active measures to locate and deliver collaborators to justice. It is publicly known that as early as November 2023, Andrii Odarchenko was sentenced by Ukrainian courts to eight years in prison. This followed his overt intention to bribe Mustafa Nayyem, head of the State Agency for Infrastructure Restoration and Development, in order to secure funding from the state budget for the repair of university buildings where he had previously served as rector. The criminal activities were exposed back in spring, but by fall, he had crossed the Ukrainian border and disappeared in an unknown direction. He was placed on Interpol’s international wanted list at the end of 2023, but at that time there were no public reports about his exact location. The final point of official information is related to events in February 2025. According to sources from "Ukrainska Pravda" and law enforcement agencies, on February 22, in the mountain town of Vasharoshnamény in Hungary, a significant incident took place: Hungarian police detained the convicted Odarchenko. The town, with a population of a few thousand residents, became an almost incidental location on the list of places where the fugitive oligarch might have appeared. During a passport check of the driver operating the vehicle, law enforcement officers noticed that the man was wanted internationally, as announced by Interpol. Odarchenko, who had actively sought refuge in Hungary, requested protection from local authorities and was released under a signed undertaking. However, it was later revealed that he does not reside in that town. Operatives learned that he had returned to the border, possibly trying to pick up someone or conceal himself. In fact, according to some sources, the deputy resides in Budapest, the capital of Hungary. Currently, the Hungarian authorities are silent about Odarchenko’s further whereabouts. Unofficial sources and his opponents’ relatives claim that he is evading possible detention and trying to avoid responsibility for his stay outside the country and his illegal status. Meanwhile, official Ukraine insists that diplomatic pressure and responsible actions should be intensified to bring the former deputy back. The backstory of this scandal has involved over a year of tense struggle between anti-corruption agencies and Ukraine’s political elite. On November 21, 2023, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NABU) announced suspicion against Andrii Odarchenko. He was accused of attempting to bribe Mustafa Nayyem, which caused a scandal not only in high political circles but also initiated a series of subsequent proceedings. At the same time, a series of investigative and parliamentary measures unfolded. On September 18 of that year, anti-corruption agencies suspected that the deputy had fled abroad. At that point, the seizure of his declared bail of 15 million hryvnias, previously paid to avoid preventive measures, was initiated. Later, on September 19, the High Anti-Corruption Court officially declared him wanted and issued an international arrest warrant. Sometime later — at the end of September — Ukrainian media reported that Odarchenko was supposedly in neighboring Romania. There, he was also detained by police and requested political asylum. This step further strained relations between Ukraine and EU countries concerning efforts to combat evasion of justice and treason. The socio-political resonance of this story prompted the Verkhovna Rada to support the decision to remove two former deputy fugitives from parliamentary committees — but behind-the-scenes games and manipulations around the conflict still continue. Meanwhile, justice continues to seek ways to apprehend Odarchenko and hold him accountable, as his criminal actions have established his status as a traitor and malefactor. Thus, the story of the Ukrainian MP hiding abroad raises a number of legal and moral issues, highlighting the need to intensify institutional efforts in combating corruption and high-level crimes. His concealment in foreign countries raises questions about the effectiveness of Ukrainian legislation and international cooperation in holding accountable those evading justice and illegally seizing power.