{"id":595428,"date":"2026-06-29T11:42:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T08:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/korabelov.info\/2026\/06\/595428\/almost-four-years-of-non-appearances-in-a-bribery-case-the-sitting-mp-was-taken-to-a-detention-center\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T11:42:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T08:42:20","slug":"almost-four-years-of-non-appearances-in-a-bribery-case-the-sitting-mp-was-taken-to-a-detention-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/korabelov.info\/en\/2026\/06\/595428\/almost-four-years-of-non-appearances-in-a-bribery-case-the-sitting-mp-was-taken-to-a-detention-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Almost four years of non-appearances in a bribery case: the sitting MP was taken to a detention center"},"content":{"rendered":"

NABU detectives detained a sitting People’s Deputy of Ukraine who is accused of receiving undue benefits for facilitating private companies’ wins in tenders to supply medical equipment in the Zhytomyr region<\/strong>. The reason for the detention was the defendant’s repeated failures to appear at court hearings.<\/p>\n

This was 29 June <\/strong>2026 reported<\/a> by the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP).<\/p>\n

The detention was carried out in execution of a ruling by the High Anti-Corruption Court. The defendant had explained his most recent absence by an official business trip to the Kingdom of Spain<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

After the detention, the People’s Deputy was taken to a temporary detention facility.<\/p>\n

SAP did not officially name the detained person. However, based on case circumstances, media report that it concerns People’s Deputy Serhii Kuzminykh<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The hearing of the SAP prosecutor’s motion to change the preventive measure to detention without the possibility of bail was scheduled for 29 June 2026 at 11:00.<\/p>\n

According to the investigation, in January 2022<\/strong> the People’s Deputy, through a trusted person, received UAH 558,000<\/strong> in undue benefits.<\/p>\n

This amount amounted to 30%<\/strong> of the contract value for the supply of an ultrasound diagnostic system. The agreement was concluded between a municipal enterprise \u2014 a hospital in the city of Zhytomyr<\/strong> \u2014 and a private company.<\/p>\n

According to the investigation, the money was intended to influence hospital officials so that they would recognize the designated private company as the winner of the public procurement.<\/p>\n

In addition, the defendant allegedly guaranteed that, in return for a 30-percent kickback<\/strong>, he would ensure funding and execution of another 2 contracts<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

It concerned the supply of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and laparoscopic equipment for a total amount exceeding UAH 38 million<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The actions of the People’s Deputy were qualified under Part 2 of Article 369-2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine \u2014 abuse of influence.<\/p>\n

The indictment in the case was submitted to the court back in 2022<\/strong>. However, according to SAP, over nearly 4 years<\/strong> the defendant repeatedly failed to attend hearings.<\/p>\n

In particular, he did not appear in court on 29 October 2025, 30 March, 1 June and 22 June 2026.<\/p>\n

For two absences, the court imposed monetary penalties on the defendant. The respective rulings were issued on 24 November 2025 and 27 April 2026.<\/p>\n

The People’s Deputy explained some of the missed hearings by foreign official business trips that coincided with the court proceedings.<\/p>\n

SAP believes that the systematic absences created a real threat of delaying the proceedings. That is why the prosecutor initiated the detention and the change of preventive measure to ensure the defendant’s further participation in the judicial process.<\/p>\n

According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine<\/strong>, a person is presumed innocent until their guilt is proven in accordance with the law and established by a guilty verdict of a court.<\/p>\n

Earlier we wrote:<\/strong><\/p>\n