The charges surfaced back in 2023: the case against Kim, former head of the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant, has been closed

Former South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant head Vissarion Kim, his son, and the plant’s former deputy CEO have been released from criminal liability due to the expiration of the statute of limitations. By a ruling dated October 15, 2026, the High Anti-Corruption Court (HACC) closed the proceedings against them.

The charges against the defendants in this part of the case were as follows:

• Vissarion Kim was accused of organizing the abuse of office by plant employees.
• His son, Artem Kim, was accused of aiding and abetting abuse of office.
• The plant’s former deputy CEO, Volodymyr Bohatchuk, was also accused of aiding and abetting abuse of office.

Vissarion Kim headed the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant branch of Energoatom National Nuclear Energy Generating Company from January 2007 to August 2012.

According to the prosecution, Energoatom suffered losses in two episodes:

• The episode concluded on February 5, 2013 involved alleged losses of more than UAH 10.5 million.
• The episode concluded on November 13, 2013 involved alleged losses of more than UAH 17.4 million.

More than ten years have passed since the alleged offenses were completed: the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution expired in 2023. All three defendants agreed to be released from liability on this basis.

“In these criminal proceedings, the court found no circumstances indicating grounds to suspend or interrupt the statute of limitations, as provided for in Parts 2 and 3 of Article 49 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine,” the HACC ruling states.

In addition to closing the proceedings against these defendants, the court lifted the seizure of Artem Kim’s house and apartment. The property had been under seizure since January 2018.

The purchase of industrial air-conditioning systems was also investigated at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant. According to investigators, in 2011–2012, the plant’s head of production and technical procurement department, Dmytro Sokolov, helped two commercial entities win tenders held by the plant. Investigators believed the equipment was supplied at inflated prices, causing the state losses of more than UAH 12.3 million.

The first reports of possible embezzlement appeared in May 2014, following an audit by the State Financial Inspection in Mykolaiv Oblast.

In 2021, law enforcement authorities notified the following individuals of suspicion:

• Dmytro Sokolov, head of the production and technical procurement department at the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant;
• the de facto head of two companies, whom investigators considered an accomplice.

The men are charged under Part 5 of Article 191 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The official faces up to 12 years in prison.

In December 2021, the HACC scheduled Dmytro Sokolov’s case for trial and decided to try him in absentia: he has been hiding abroad since 2016.

In July 2022, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) completed the investigation.

We previously reported:

• In Mykolaiv, the case against the former head of the Flagman credit union was closed due to the expiration of the statute of limitations
• The HACC in numbers: most defendants are from Servant of the People; some cases were closed due to time limits
• Corruption at the enlistment office: Mykolaiv court closes case against military medical commission doctor due to the statute of limitations
• While the country is at war, are officials stealing? Abuse worth UAH 1.1 million uncovered at a nuclear power plant
• Bribe at the State Emergency Service: Mykolaiv court closes case against fire station chief as the statute of limitations expires