The National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) has detained Member of Parliament Serhiy Kuzminykh, who faces charges of abuse of influence and receiving illicit benefits. The arrest was executed following a warrant issued by the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) due to the politician’s systematic failure to appear at scheduled court hearings. The lawmaker missed his most recent court date due to an official trip to Spain. He is currently being held in a temporary detention facility.
The consideration of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) motion to upgrade his bail terms to detention without the option of bail is scheduled for June 29.
The criminal proceedings against the MP stem from events in January 2022. According to investigators, Serhiy Kuzminykh received 558,000 UAH through an intermediary. This amount represented a 30% «kickback» on a contract for the supply of an ultrasound diagnostic system to a hospital in Zhytomyr. In exchange for the funds, the MP allegedly promised to influence hospital officials to ensure a specific private company won the public tender.
Furthermore, investigators claim the accused guaranteed future cooperation for a similar 30% cut. Leveraging his official status, he promised to secure funding and facilitate two additional contracts — for the supply of an MRI system and laparoscopic equipment — totaling over 38 million UAH.
Legal Background: The lawmaker’s actions are classified under Part 2 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abuse of influence). The indictment was sent to court back in 2022.
Although the case has been in court for nearly four years, the trial has faced significant delays. The defendant has systematically skipped hearings, including sessions scheduled for October 29, 2025, as well as March 30, June 1, and June 22, 2026.
The court had previously imposed financial penalties on the MP for two of these absences. Kuzminykh justified other missed appearances by citing official business trips abroad, which repeatedly coincided with his scheduled court dates. NABU emphasized that his persistent evasion created a genuine risk of stalling the judicial process indefinitely, prompting the HACC to issue the arrest warrant.