The bail is there, but he can’t leave: why Shufrich is still in custody
12 February 16:01
ANALYSIS FROM 
At the beginning of the year, the Kyiv Court of Appeals changed the preventive measure for Nestor Shufrich, a member of parliament from the Opposition Platform – For Life party who is accused of high treason, from arrest without the possibility of bail to arrest with the possibility of release on bail in the amount of UAH 33.28 million. More than a month has passed since January 6, the day the decision was made, and the MP has not been released from the pre-trial detention center—the money for bail has been found, but they cannot pay it. Komersant investigated the main reason for this.
Shufrich has been in the SBU detention center for over two years, and the trial has not actually begun. On December 4, 2025, the ECHR accepted Shufrich’s complaint regarding the excessive length of his detention. The court announced that comments on the complaint could be submitted until April 2, 2026, and drew attention to the possibility of considering the case under the friendly settlement procedure.
The Kyiv Court of Appeals considered that an amicable settlement of Shufrich’s complaint could be facilitated by applying an alternative preventive measure in the form of bail. This would prevent negative consequences for Ukraine if the ECHR upheld Shufrich’s complaint, such as the payment of compensation and the undermining of the state’s authority at the international level. In addition, the prosecutor did not cite any new risks and did not report an increase in the degree of existing risks. In this case, the unconditional detention cannot be considered justified and in line with the practice of the ECHR. As a result, the panel of judges changed the preventive measure from arrest to bail.
While the money was being raised, on January 13, another hearing was held at the Shevchenkivskyi District Court, at which the MP’s lawyers requested that the preventive measure be changed from detention to any other non-isolation type. The lawyers also added a medical document from a clinic that is ready to accept Shufrich for rehabilitation after surgery. Shufrich himself stated that “detention is illegal.” But the court ruled to continue the MP’s detention until March 13, 2026, with the possibility of posting bail in the amount of over 33 million hryvnia.
Of course, the bail amount was quite substantial, but it was found. However, it was not possible to pay it. Banks are blocking all payments for Shufrich. The reason is the personal economic sanctions imposed on Shufrich in 2025 by President Zelensky.
“In fact, this bail is an alternative with no alternative. As of today, the bank’s response is that due to sanctions, the bank cannot accept this money. We disagree with this, but we cannot argue with the banking system. And this is not only in our case, but also in the cases of Boguslaev, Kolomoisky, and others who have been sanctioned. No person subject to sanctions can post bail, even though they are not the legal heirs to the money, because a third party posts the bail for them. And the state uses this money, and then, if it is returned, it goes to that same third party. Bail in no way increases or decreases the financial situation of the person for whom it is paid. Bail is a guarantee of appearance in court. But as long as the situation remains as it is, even if the bail is 1 hryvnia, it is impossible to pay it,” he said in a comment to
Currently, lawyers are seeking to change the amount of bail and replace it with an alternative preventive measure.
“We are seeking to change the detention to another, alternative type. For example, house arrest. In addition, there is a case in court to cancel the illegal, unfounded, and even applied sanctions against Ukrainian citizen Nestor Shufrich,” the lawyer said.
On September 15, 2023, it became known that the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) had conducted searches at the home of Nestor Shufrich, a member of parliament elected from the Opposition Platform — For Life party. Shufrich was suspected of treason. The SBU also found a document with a plan for autonomy for the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, dated 2014, signed by former MP Viktor Medvedchuk, who has since been stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship, and Shufrich himself.
At the same time, the court imposed a preventive measure on Shufrich – detention without the right to bail. On February 8, 2024, Nestor Shufrich was charged with a new suspicion – financing the Russian Guard. According to the investigation, in 2013, Shufrich purchased a property in Crimea, and after the occupation of the peninsula, he concluded an agreement with the Russian Guard on the protection of property, thereby effectively providing financial support to an enemy military formation.
Author: Alla Dunina
