The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) has approved a special judicial proceeding to try Kostiantyn Kulyk, former deputy head of a department at the Prosecutor General’s Office of Ukraine (PGO), in absentia. The trial will move forward following a petition submitted by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).
The former official stands accused of aiding and abetting the abuse of power, resulting in severe financial damage to the state (Part 5, Art. 27; Part 2, Art. 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). Pre-trial investigations conducted by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and SAPO have officially concluded, with the case files transferred to the court for a full hearing.
According to law enforcement, the criminal scheme was designed to bypass mandatory tax obligations. The specific episode involving Kulyk centers on a formal appeal lodged by state-owned Oshadbank against a tax assessment decision issued by the State Fiscal Service (SFS).
At the time, Serhiy Bilan served as the First Deputy Head of the SFS and held the exclusive authority to sign off on appeal decisions. Investigators established that Bilan intentionally failed to sign the prepared response rejecting the bank’s complaint within the statutory deadline, acting in the interest of the entity.
Under Ukrainian law, failure by tax authorities to issue a ruling within the legally prescribed timeframe results in the automatic approval of the taxpayer’s complaint. This deliberate inaction blocked the state budget from collecting over 641 million UAH (approximately $15.5 million) in taxes and financial penalties.
«To grant the petition of the SAPO prosecutor for special judicial proceedings. To conduct special judicial proceedings in the criminal case concerning Kulyk, who is charged with committing criminal offenses under Part 5, Article 27, and Part 2, Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine,» the court order states.
The authorization of an in absentia trial allows the HACC panel of judges to adjudicate the case without the defendant present, as Kulyk continues to evade law enforcement. This procedural mechanism ensures accountability and provides the necessary legal foundation to identify, freeze, and confiscate his assets both in Ukraine and internationally.
The High Anti-Corruption Court is expected to schedule the initial hearing on the merits shortly, where SAPO prosecutors will formally read the indictment and present evidence.