This week, former head of the Presidentʼs Office (OP) Andriy Yermak was released from pretrial detention, three regional police departments were searched in the case of "porn offices", and the Russians launched a massive strike on Ukraine and used "Oreshnik".
Babel has compiled the main events of the week so that you can stay up to date with the news.
The MP Stepan Kubiv has died
On May 18, a member of parliament from the “European Solidarity” party Stepan Kubiv died at the age of 64.
In 2016-2019, he served as First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economic Development and Trade, and in 2014 he headed the National Bank.
The cause of death was acute thromboembolism.
Andriy Yermak released from pre-trial detention center
On the same day, former head of the Presidentʼs Office Andriy Yermak was released from pre-trial detention. The entire amount of bail was paid for him — UAH 140 million.
On May 21, the Appeals Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice left his preventive measure unchanged — detention with the alternative of bail, which had already been posted.
Andrea Maldera heads Ukraine national football team
Andrea Maldera has replaced Serhiy Rebrov as the new coach of the Ukrainian national football team. This is the first time that a foreign coach has led the Ukrainian national team.
He had already worked with the team as Andriy Shevchenkoʼs assistant from 2016 to 2021. After Shevchenkoʼs contract with UAF expired, he also left the national team.
NABU and SAPO declared new suspicions against Supreme Court judges
On May 19, NABU and SAPO declared new suspicions in the case of large-scale corruption in the Supreme Court. At that time, Babelʼs sources reported that they were referring to Grand Chamber judges Ihor Zhelezny, Iryna Hryhorieva, Zhanna Yelenina, and former judge Oleksandr Prokopenko.
According to the investigation, these judges received a bribe for ruling in favor of the owner of the “Finance and Credit” group Kostyantyn Zhevaho in the case regarding shares of the Poltava Mining and Processing Plant.
Investigators allege that in 2023, the businessman transferred $2.7 million through intermediaries to a lawyer connected to the so-called back office of the Supreme Court. The money was allegedly to be transferred to the former chief justice and judges in exchange for the necessary decision.
Searches in three regional police departments in the case of "porn offices"
On the morning of May 20, law enforcement officers conducted searches at regional departments of the National Police in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ternopil, and Zhytomyr regions.
According to the investigation, the leadership of the regional police ensured the unhindered operation of "porn offices" that distributed pornographic videos on the Internet. The intermediary in the scheme was the driver of one of the deputy ministers of internal affairs of Ukraine, who, thanks to his connections, agreed on the non-interference of officials.
In this case, the head of the Ivano-Frankivsk Region Police Department (this position is held by Serhiy Bezpalko) and his deputy, the first deputy head of the Ternopil Region Police Department, the deputy head of the Zhytomyr Regional Police Department, and the driver of the car company of the “Service Center for Units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs” were detained. Four police officers involved in this case were suspended from work.
Former head of the State Reserve declared under suspicion
On May 22, the SAPO and NABU declared the suspicions to the former head of the State Agency for Reserves Management of Ukraine and three other defendants.
The investigation says that the participants in the scheme took possession of the money of a state-owned enterprise under the management of the State Reserve. Such actions resulted in UAH 36 million of losses to the state. The participants in the scheme converted these funds into cash and disposed of them at their own discretion.
Ukrainian drones attacked the Sheskharis oil terminal
On the night of May 23, Ukrainian drones attacked the Sheskharis oil terminal and the Grushova oil depot in Novorossiysk. Fires broke out at the facilities.
Sheskharis is one of the largest Russian oil terminals, located on the Black Sea. Up to 75 million tons of oil pass through it every year. The Grushova oil depot is part of the Sheskharis complex and is one of the largest tank complexes in the south of the Russian Federation. The tanks have a capacity of 1.2-1.4 million cubic meters.
In Novorossiysk, drones also attacked the frigate “Admiral Essen” and a “Project 1239” missile carrier.
The Russians massively attacked Ukraine and hit with the "Oreshnik"
On the night of May 24, Russian forces launched 690 air attack weapons — 90 missiles and 600 UAVs of various types — into Ukraine. The Russians targeted Bila Tserkva with the “Oreshnik”.
Hits of 16 missiles and 51 attack UAVs were recorded in 54 places, and drone debris fell in 23 places. In particular, Kyiv was under massive attack (over 80 people were injured there, there were fatalities).
During the strikes on the capital, the Russians damaged the Azerbaijani embassy and hit the house of the Albanian ambassador to Ukraine Ernal Filo. A number of architectural monuments were also damaged.
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