On Thursday, November 20, former head of the Rubizhna City Military Administration Andriy Yurchenko, a defendant in a high-profile case involving possible corruption in the procurement of electronic warfare systems and drones for the Ukrainian military, was released on bail. This was reported to Public Donbas by his lawyer Oleksandr Tananakin.
According to the defense attorney, the court agreed to reduce the bail amount because Yurchenko had been in custody for a long time, and the initially set amount of 6 million hryvnias was “excessive” for the suspect. After the change in the preventive measure, the bail was reduced to 2 million hryvnias. Yurchenko collected part of the amount himself, the rest was provided by friends who helped to promptly deposit the funds.
Earlier, the Barristers Association confirmed the decision of the High Anti-Corruption Court, noting that the preventive measure was mitigated after the defense presented relevant arguments. The 2 million hryvnias were deposited on the same day, and Yurchenko was immediately released from custody.
The pre-trial investigation concerns the alleged receipt of illegal benefits during the procurement of UAVs and electronic warfare equipment. According to the NABU and SAPO, the scheme may involve the former head of the Luhansk OVA, a current MP, a commander of a military unit, and the owner of a drone manufacturing company. Yurchenko's defense insists that his actions do not constitute a criminal offense, and he himself is not involved in the crimes charged.
