Why Chernyshov Wasn’t Arrested: Revealing the Reasons and Changes in the Criminal Case
The day before, the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court made a decision on a preventive measure for Oleksiy Chernyshov, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Unity of Ukraine. He was set a bail of over 120 million hryvnias, which the politician must pay within five days to avoid detention. At the same time, the question of why law enforcement officers did not request his arrest is being debated, given his possible attempt to leave the country and the associated "potential threat" to the investigation. Journalist Mykhailo Tkach from Ukrainska Pravda explained in detail the key nuances of this situation and suggested what was behind the court's decision and the political context of the case. According to him, Chernyshov left Ukraine on the eve of the escalation of the criminal case - on the night of June 10-11. At the time of his departure, according to sources, the investigative bodies were already preparing suspicions for him and his immediate entourage. This is confirmed by the fact that on June 12-13, during court hearings, prosecutors voiced the politician’s role and participation in corruption deals in the construction sector. That is, according to Tkach, it can be assumed that in the end, even the process of presenting suspicion was inevitable, and Chernyshov himself was on the verge of responsibility. The fact of going abroad during this critical period, according to the journalist, is of great importance. After all, the investigation is currently unable to approach the charges due to formal restrictions — Chernyshov, having received an invitation from the NABU and the SAPO, went on a business trip and submitted a request for its extension, and did not return to Ukraine. Thus, they “worked” with him without applying preventive measures in the form of arrest. Tkach notes that this indicates that it was important for law enforcement officers to preserve their image and avoid political complications that could affect the investigation. The next important aspect is the justification for the creation of the Ministry of National Unity. According to him, this could have been done in view of the possibility of a quick reaction and mobility of Chernyshov in matters of international business trips and political activity abroad. It is not excluded that the goals of creating this structure were to guarantee him immunity or greater flexibility in leaving the country. Tkach states that at first Chernyshov himself did not understand what he should do in this position and consulted with colleagues and experts in the first weeks of work. Interestingly, this situation may also indicate intentions to potentially liquidate the Ministry of National Unity after Chernyshov’s resignation. According to sources with whom Tkach spoke, there are reasons to believe that the official activities of this ministerial structure could be accompanied by political agitation abroad, in particular regarding the involvement of Ukrainians who have left the country. It was through Chernyshov, according to information, that active contacts with the Ukrainian diaspora began, which requires special monitoring and control. Let us recall that on June 23, NABU officially notified Chernyshov of suspicion of abuse of office and obtaining illegal benefits in very large amounts for himself and third parties. This suspicion was handed to him after several weeks of his absence abroad, which creates additional context for his further responsibility. We are talking about a large-scale corruption scheme in the construction sector, which is being investigated by NABU and SAPO. The case names individuals from Chernyshov’s entourage, including developer Serhiy Kopystyra, former director of a state-owned enterprise Alla Sushon, construction company employee Oleg Tatarenko, and one of the former top officials in the Ministry, Vasyl Volodin. All of them are being investigated in a criminal case on charges of a large-scale corruption scheme that affected not only the private sector but also state institutions. The media reports that the searches of Chernyshov and his entourage were conducted about a month ago and took place last year, when the investigation received the relevant court orders. However, the details and full scope of the investigators’ work generally remain secret until the completion of the investigative actions and the publication of the official results. Thus, the situation proves that the political and legal processes in this case are complex and multi-level in nature. The further status of the Ministry of National Unity, and possibly its liquidation, with the subsequent reorientation of functions in the field of international policy and internal communication of Ukraine, depends on how the investigation will develop and what decisions will be made in the court proceedings. The main thing that has been clarified so far: Chernyshov, being a formal potential defendant in a large-scale criminal case, received a completely legal chance to avoid long imprisonment thanks to bail, and his business trip and silent "self-travel" indicate a desire to maintain his political and legal position, while at the same time raising many questions about the real purpose of his activities and potential political and business interests abroad.