Lawyer Denies: Oleh Hladkovskyi Is in Spain, He Was Not Detained
Within Ukrainian legal and diplomatic circles, assurances regarding the fate of former First Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Oleh Hladkovskyi, have been renewed. The claims that he has been detained or arrested are false, asserts his lawyer, Ruslan Volynets. According to the lawyer, his client is currently abroad—in Spain—and no court decisions regarding his detention or bail have been issued. Volynets confirmed on his social media page (Facebook) that incorrect information about Hladkovskyi's detention is spreading in Ukraine, especially in connection with a criminal case involving damages to the state amounting to over 17 million hryvnias. "Considering numerous appeals from the public and the media, I want to officially state: Oleh Volodymyrovych Hladkovskyi is not in custody at the moment. He is in Spain, but the Spanish court has not issued any resolution regarding his arrest, detention, or any other restrictive measures such as bail or house arrest," the lawyer emphasized. He added that Ukrainian law enforcement agencies and courts were informed in advance and in full detail about Hladkovskyi’s whereabouts, including his exact address and contact details. However, they ignored this information, supporting a false notion that he was wanted and detained. The lawyer also noted that the former official participated actively in court hearings via video conferences for a long period, but, at the prosecution’s initiative and with the court’s support, a decision was made requiring his personal appearance at the trial. Volynets also confirmed that in March 2022, Hladkovskyi appealed to the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine to transfer the bail amount—10.6 million hryvnias—that had been paid as part of the criminal case, to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "This sum correlates proportionally with the damages caused to the state due to the procurement of vehicles for the Ukrainian Armed Forces," the lawyer noted. Context of the Resonant Case Recall that on May 14, it was reported from Spanish territory that the former Deputy Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council—specifically Oleh Hladkovskyi—had been detained. International police and local authorities in Spain announced that he was detained as part of a criminal case being investigated by Ukrainian law enforcement—specifically, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) and the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU). The charges involve causing damages to the state amounting to over 17 million hryvnias, resulting from corruption schemes related to the procurement of vehicles for Ukrainian law enforcement agencies. It is currently under consideration whether he will be extradited to Ukraine, and efforts to bring the official back home are ongoing and active from a legal standpoint. However, legal experts note that no official decisions have been made yet regarding his detention or forcible return. Thus, official statements from prosecutors and lawyers confirm that reports of his detention or custody are inaccurate. It is only known that he is on Spanish territory and continues procedural processes related to the case, which has garnered significant resonance in society and media.