Details of suspicion to ex-deputy head of the OP become known
22 May 2024 16:51
Today, the NABU and the SAPO served a notice of suspicion of illicit enrichment on the former deputy head of the Presidential Office. The law enforcement agencies did not name the suspect, but it is known that it is Andriy Smirnov, deputy head of the Presidential Office in 2019-2024, reports [Kommersant]
According to the investigation, during 2020-2022, Smirnov “acquired assets” of UAH 17.1 million, but his savings and official income during this time amounted to only UAH 1.3 million. The official bought an apartment in Lviv, a land plot in Zakarpattia, two cars, two motorcycles and three parking spaces.
He registered most of this property in his brother’s name, but used it himself.
The NABU noted that the crime was exposed after the publication of a journalistic investigation in February 2023.
Now the former official is suspected of violating Article 368-5 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Illegal enrichment”. He faces imprisonment for a term of 5 to 20 years.
Andrii Smirnov
Andriy Smirnov was the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office from September 2019 to March 2024. It is believed that he was in charge of law enforcement, judicial systems and legal policy in general.
Prior to that, Smirnov was a member of the Dnipro Regional Council, and before that, he was an assistant to MPs Valeriy Karpuntsov and Andriy Denysenko. In 2014, he ran for the Verkhovna Rada, but did not win.
Prior to his political career, he headed the legal department of the State Committee for the State Material Reserve, was deputy director of the SBU’s economic support department, and head of the land resources department in Zaporizhzhia. He graduated from the Law Faculty of the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
In February 2023, Ukrayinska Pravda published the above-mentioned investigation about Andrii Smirnov’s brother, Ihor Smirnov, who bought luxury real estate, land and cars at below-market prices.
After that, on 29 March, Smirnov was dismissed from the Prosecutor General’s Office.
