Ukrainian court orders detention of ex-deputy head of President's Office during corruption probe

Ukraine’s High Anti-Corruption Court on May 5 ordered former deputy head of the President’s Office Andrii Smyrnov into pretrial detention until May 22 as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged large-scale corruption, according to a Suspilne correspondent present in the courtroom.

The court granted prosecutors' request in part, setting bail at Hr 18 million (approximately $430,000). Prosecutors had sought to keep Smyrnov in custody with a higher bail amount of over Hr 20 million (approximately $477,000).

Smyrnov is under investigation for allegedly legalizing illicit assets and accepting a bribe worth $100,000. Smirnov held the position of president's office deputy head from September 2019 until March 2024, when President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed him without naming a reason.

His lawyer argued that the prosecution failed to present new evidence or justify the need for detention, calling the request "unsubstantiated." The defense maintains that the case has not progressed in over six months and lacks grounds for such a restrictive measure.

Speaking to Suspilne following the ruling, Smyrnov said he would fight the charges and prove his innocence. "I consider this decision unfair," he said, adding: "I will fight and prove that I am right."

According to the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU), the suspect acquired assets worth more than Hr 17 million ($426,000) between 2020-2022, although he officially reported his salary and savings for the time period as Hr 1.3 million ($32,500).

Smyrnov reportedly purchased two luxury cars, two motorcycles, several parking spaces, an apartment in Lviv, and a land plot in Zakarpattia Oblast.

In an effort to cover up his ownership of the assets, NABU said that he transferred the majority of the property assets to his brother, but secretly retained access.

On April 16, Smyrnov was charged with new offenses. Between 2019 and 2021, Smyrnov allegedly laundered nearly Hr 6.5 million ($157,000) by funding the construction of seaside homes in Odesa Oblast registered under another company, according to NABU.

After his indictment in May 2024, the properties were re-registered under a trustee’s name. Investigators say Smyrnov also accepted $100,000 worth of construction services in 2022 in exchange for using his influence to sway a tender decision by Ukraine’s Antimonopoly Committee.