Former politician Komarnytskyi remains in-absentia detainee after appeal
The Appellate Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court has upheld the decision to detain former politician and Kyiv businessman Denys Komarnytskyi in absentia, the court’s press service reported on Facebook on June 11.
The decision has come into effect immediately upon its announcement and is not subject to cassation appeal. Although the name of the individual involved is not mentioned in the report by the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court (AP VAKS), it is believed to refer to Denys Komarnytskyi, based on the case's details.
Journalist Oleh Novikov noted that the decision is significant for both the absentia investigation and future extradition efforts.
On February 6, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) launched a large-scale operation, "Clean City," aimed at eliminating corruption within Kyiv's land and budget sectors. NABU revealed that it had uncovered a criminal organization led by a well-known former deputy of the Kyiv City Council. At that time, 10 people involved in the scheme were notified of suspicion, and seven were detained.
The following day, February 7, searches were conducted at the Kyiv City State Administration. According to the Kyiv City State Administration, these actions were related to possible abuses by officials regarding the alienation of property belonging to the territorial community of Kyiv.
On the same day, the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court imposed a preventive measure on Petro Olenych, the Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration, in a land corruption case. Olenych was placed in custody for two months until April 6, with the possibility of posting bail in the amount of $405,000.
Novikov further reported that Denys Komarnytskyi, a businessman and former co-chairman of the Bloc faction of Leonid Chernovetsky, is considered the leader of the criminal organization.
On February 10, NABU placed Komarnytskyi on the wanted list, suspecting him of land fraud.
On March 12, Ukrainska Pravda journalist Mykhailo Tkach reported that Komarnytskyi had fled the country.
By March 26, the Department of Strategic Investigations of the National Police revealed that two officers in Zakarpattia Oblast had assisted Komarnytskyi in his illegal exit from Ukraine. These officers were dismissed, and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced suspicions against them. The head of the territorial department was also fired.
An investigation published by Ukrainska Pravda on March 27 revealed that the law enforcement officials who helped Komarnytskyi escape used a car with the inscription “Cargo 200,” a term historically associated with the transportation of dead bodies.
According to sources within the publication, four individuals with SBU identification cards participated in Komarnytskyi’s escape, including two officers from Zakarpattia Oblast’s Strategic Investigations Department and a local deputy. The SBU later clarified that these individuals had been stripped of their freelance SBU status a week before assisting Komarnytskyi.
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