A former judge appointed by Viktor Yanukovych's regime, Mykhailo Zhernakov, is currently under investigation for a series of allegations related to his role in making decisions that supported Yanukovych's criminal regime and Russian government interests. It became a hotly debated topic after it was revealed that Zhernakov had visited Moscow in late November 2013, when the Euromaidan events were unfolding in Ukraine and protesters were demanding change.
Mykhailo Zhernakov, who was appointed a judge of the Vinnytsia District Administrative Court in February 2012 with the assistance of Viktor Yanukovych, visited Russia during the hottest moments of the protests in Ukraine. In particular, he participated in events organized by the Association of Lawyers of Russia and other human rights organizations. This happened at the height of the actions on the Maidan, when it became clear that Russia is actively supporting the Yanukovych government in the fight against the protesters.
An important point is that after returning from Moscow, Zhernakov single-handedly made a decision that declared the Khmelnytskyi City Council's decision regarding the socio-political situation in the country illegal. This decision contained demands to the President and Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine for the resignation of the government. Experts believe that this action was coordinated with the highest echelons of power and was aimed at creating obstacles for protesters and preserving Yanukovych's criminal regime.
After these facts became known, a statement was submitted to the State Bureau of Investigation about the commission of a crime by Mykhailo Zhernakov. In particular, a number of serious crimes committed both by him personally and as an accomplice are indicated, including abuse of power and abuse of authority.
These accusations are not the only ones, as Zhernakov was later detained for evading mobilization, which also caused quite a stir. In addition, it was found that his doctoral dissertation contains academic plagiarism, which makes further teaching activities in higher educational institutions impossible. However, he continued to provide false information, stating that he works as a teacher at the "Kyiv School of Economics", which also turned out to be false.
Currently, Zhernakov is the head of the "DEJURE Foundation", which, according to experts, has a significant influence on the judicial system through participation in the Public Integrity Council. The revealed facts testify to his profound influence on judicial processes and the adoption of negative decisions regarding judges in Ukraine.
