23 June Update — Deputy PM Chernyshov returns to Ukraine, denies corruption allegations
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov has returned to Ukraine following a lengthy foreign "business trip." In a Facebook post, he described the visit as “difficult but important” and responded to recent media reports by calling them part of a “disinformation campaign.”
“The truth always wins,” he wrote.
His return follows the arrests of two former aides on corruption charges. MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak has said Chernyshov is expected to be summoned by law enforcement. According to Dzerkalo Tyzhnia, businessman Tymur Mindich — a co-founder of Kvartal 95 and close to the President’s Office — traveled abroad to persuade him to come back.
Sources say Chernyshov may have been assured that his NABU-led case would be transferred to a more politically loyal agency. Mindich himself has reportedly not returned to Ukraine.
Under martial law, most Ukrainian men are banned from traveling abroad — a restriction that does not appear to apply to politically connected figures.
22 June Update — Chernyshov’s family leaves Ukraine
Ukrainska Pravda reports that Chernyshov’s son left Ukraine on 19 June, followed by his wife on June 20.
21 June Update — Trip officially authorized
Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told parliament on 21 June that Chernyshov’s foreign travel had been officially authorized through 22 June.
A major scandal is unfolding within the Ukrainian government. Under normal circumstances, it might be framed as a political crisis — but amid martial law and suspended elections, politics in Ukraine has largely ground to a halt. What remains is power without electoral accountability.
At the center of the growing controversy is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov, who has been abroad for over a week and has yet to return. His absence coincides with a widening criminal investigation that has already ensnared several of his former subordinates.
Journalist raises alarm over Chernyshov’s disappearance
Mykhailo Tkach, an investigative journalist with Ukrainska Pravda, was the first to draw public attention to Chernyshov’s absence. His reporting has tracked a network of arrests involving individuals who previously worked under Chernyshov — first in government, then at Naftogaz, Ukraine’s powerful state-owned oil and gas company.
“NABU and SAPO have detained two of Chernyshov’s close associates — Maksym Horbatiuk and Vasyl Volodin. Both worked with him in the Ministry and later at Naftogaz. Horbatiuk was detained at the border as he attempted to go on vacation. Chernyshov remains abroad, reportedly on an official trip,” Tkach reported.
What are NABU and SAPO?
The investigation is being led by two key Ukrainian anti-corruption bodies:
- NABU (National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine) is an independent law enforcement agency responsible for investigating high-level corruption among state officials and public institutions.
- SAPO (Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office) works alongside NABU, overseeing legal procedures and prosecutions related to their investigations.
Together, these agencies form the backbone of Ukraine’s efforts to combat elite corruption — a mission made even more urgent during wartime, when oversight is weakened.
What is Naftogaz?
Naftogaz of Ukraine is the country’s largest and most strategically important state-owned enterprise. It manages the production, transport, and distribution of oil and natural gas, and plays a central role in Ukraine’s economy and national security — especially amid wartime infrastructure attacks and energy shortages.
Chernyshov was appointed CEO of Naftogaz in November 2022, and later took on an additional cabinet role in government.
A new ministry with familiar faces
In December 2024, Ukraine created the Ministry of National Unity by reorganizing the Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories. Chernyshov was appointed to lead it while retaining his position at Naftogaz.
Although rebranded, the ministry retained much of its original staff and leadership — including individuals now under investigation.
The Ministry’s formal mandate includes overseeing the rights and support of over 700,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 7 million Ukrainian refugees. In practice, however, its activities remain vague and poorly documented.
“Some MPs now joke that Chernyshov has become an IDP himself — one of the very people his ministry is supposed to help. Others note that the man tasked with encouraging Ukrainians to return appears reluctant to return himself,” Tkach observed.
High-level arrests and a multi-million dollar construction scheme
On 13 June, NABU and SAPO revealed a large-scale corruption scheme in the construction sector, allegedly involving officials closely associated with Chernyshov.
The charges include:
- Abuse of official position
- Receiving and facilitating large-scale bribes
- Deliberate undervaluation of state-owned assets during wartime.
Kyiv land deals and massive state losses
Prosecutors allege that:
- A developer, in coordination with ministry insiders, illegally acquired land in Kyiv for a residential development.
- Senior officials ensured the land was transferred to a state enterprise under their influence.
- That enterprise signed investment contracts with a pre-approved construction company.
- The value of the land and existing buildings was intentionally underestimated by nearly five times, dramatically reducing the share of housing the state would receive.
As a result, the state stood to lose over ₴1 billion — equivalent to approximately $25 million— in public assets.
“To reward their role in the scheme, top officials and their associates allegedly received significant discounts on apartments in newly built complexes,” prosecutors stated.
Officials travel freely, while ordinary men are barred
The scandal has reignited public anger over Ukraine’s wartime travel restrictions. Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 are banned from leaving the country under martial law, except in rare cases. In contrast, high-ranking officials — even those under investigation — can travel freely, often citing “official duties.”
The Ministry of National Unity told Suspilne that Chernyshov is on a planned EU business trip, and that it is proceeding “in normal working mode.” His meetings, they said, are being documented on his official social media pages.
Timed departures raise suspicions
Soon after Chernyshov left Ukraine, Maksym Horbatiuk, a longtime associate, tried to cross into Poland and was detained. He had previously served as an unpaid adviser in Chernyshov’s ministry and later became a commercial director at a Naftogaz subsidiary.
Another former aide, Vasyl Volodin, was also arrested. He had served as State Secretary during Chernyshov’s ministry tenure and was later appointed to the Naftogaz board.
Authorities reportedly acted quickly out of concern the men would flee or destroy evidence. Their arrests appear to have been both urgent and strategic.
“The timing suggests law enforcement acted quickly, once Chernyshov was out of the country. From abroad, he is reportedly watching anti-corruption court hearings about his former subordinates — and likely hearing a lot about himself,” Tkach wrote.
Key questions remain unanswered
Was Chernyshov tipped off before his departure?
Was Horbatiuk fleeing or simply vacationing?
Would Volodin have escaped if not detained?
These questions remain unanswered — but the timing, proximity of roles, and overlapping appointments suggest a tightly knit circle of influence that is now unraveling under pressure.
