Another high-profile NABU case has ended in an acquittal: The High Anti-Corruption Court has dismissed the case against the former manager of Ukrzaliznytsia
15 July 13:31
The High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) acquitted a former official of Oleg Zolotaryov’s “Ukrzaliznytsia,” Oleg Zolotaryov, in a case brought by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) regarding the procurement of equipment for passenger railcars, in which investigators estimated the state-owned company’s potential losses at over 9.6 million hryvnias, reports "Komersant Ukrainian" , citing court data.
The court fully acquitted Zolotaryov, dismissed the civil claim filed by JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia,” and ordered the return of his bail.
One of the key features of this criminal proceeding was that, during the trial, the prosecutor from the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO)declined to pursue the state’s case. After that, a representative of the victim—JSC “Ukrzaliznytsia”—attempted to prove the existence of a criminal offense, citing expert opinions and other case materials. At the same time, the High Anti-Corruption Court found insufficient grounds to issue a guilty verdict.
Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship
During the court proceedings, the defense insisted that Zolotaryov acted within the scope of his official duties, did not abuse his position, and did not violate public procurement laws.
Former SAPO prosecutor Stanislav Bronevitsky, commenting on the situation, stated that the criminal prosecution of Zolotaryov had lasted nearly five years.
“Zolotaryov was a suspect and defendant for about five years, with the corresponding consequences for his reputation. In effect, at least five years of his life were stolen from him,” he noted.
Furthermore, as Bronevitsky clarified, according to the Criminal Procedure Code, a decision to drop state charges is not made solely by the prosecuting attorney but requires the approval of a higher-ranking prosecutor—the head of the SAP.
Context
The criminal proceedings concerned the procurement of power supply units for passenger railcars carried out by Ukrzaliznytsia in 2017. According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU), the procurement was planned to be carried out at inflated prices, which could have caused the company losses of over 9.6 million hryvnias.
In September 2021, NABU and the SAP notified Oleg Zolotaryov of the charges against him, and in February 2023, the indictment was submitted to the High Anti-Corruption Court.
Related
Amid the criminal prosecution of Zolotaryov, several former NABU detectives were appointed to positions within Ukrzaliznytsia itself. These are NABU detectives who had previously investigated criminal cases involving Ukrzaliznytsia’s activities. Among them are Mykhailo Rykovtsev, who became head of the company’s economic security service, and Taras Likunov, who also assumed a leadership position within the company.
As reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", the day before, the High Anti-Corruption Court (VAKS) acquitted former Deputy Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Volodymyr Orlov in a case involving a request for a bribe of an especially large amount.
In September of last year, the High Anti-Corruption Court also acquitted the former mayor of Chornomorsk and two officials from the State Agency for Water Resources in
