The defense for Dmytro Zahumennyi, Chief of Staff of the Kyiv City State Administration (KMSA), is allegedly using procedural delays to avoid potential prison time over forged documents used to travel abroad during wartime.
The investigation into the official—who traveled to Spain and Italy under the guise of official business trips—was concluded in March. However, the defense attorneys and the accused continue to stall the process of reviewing the case files.
According to investigators, Dmytro Zahumennyi forged invitation letters under the name of the head of Cisco’s representative office in Ukraine. This allowed him to officially request business trips and cross the state border during martial law:
November 2023: A 9-day trip to Barcelona for the 3-day Smart City Expo.
October 2024: An 8-day trip to Florence for a 1-day conference on Re-Generation.
Because these trips were officially authorized through the KMSA, the official also received daily allowances and other travel payouts from public funds. Upon his return, he submitted fraudulent reports.
The pre-trial investigation was finalized on March 18, 2026, yet sending the case to court remains blocked. The official’s attorneys claimed they had not yet reviewed all six volumes of the case file, leading the court to extend the review deadline.
Zahumennyi initially signed a document confirming he had reviewed the case, but later claimed he signed it «under pressure from the investigator.»
Why the Delay?
Zahumennyi faces charges under Part 3 of Art. 358, Part 4 of Art. 358, and Part 1 of Art. 366 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (CCU). The most severe offense—repeated forgery of documents (Part 3 of Art. 358)—carries a penalty of up to 5 years of imprisonment and a 5-year statute of limitations.
For the first episode in October 2023, the statute of limitations under the lesser charge (Part 4 of Art. 358) is only 3 years. If the defense manages to delay court proceedings past October 2026, prosecutors may no longer be able to pursue the charge carrying prison time, leaving only fines or minor restrictions.
This is not the only scandal surrounding the KMSA Chief of Staff:
Embezzlement Charges: Zahumennyi previously received a notice of suspicion regarding the embezzlement of approximately 1.3 million UAH for renovating an office building that was no longer municipal property.
Curfew Passes: Media investigations uncovered his alleged involvement in issuing over 2,000 special passes for night-taxi operators during the curfew.
Zahumennyi denies all allegations. He filed a civil suit against the Prosecutor General’s Office and the National Police claiming damage to his honor and reputation, alleging a coordinated smear campaign. In response, the Pechersk District Court ordered the prosecutor’s office to open proceedings regarding his alleged unlawful criminal prosecution.