Ukrainian court rules to arrest fugitive businessman Kurchenko in absentia

Kyiv Pechersky District Court has ruled to arrest fugitive Ukrainian businessman Serhiy Kurchenko as a pre-trial measure late on Jan. 3.

The Prosecutor General’s Office reiterates that they’re holding a pre-trial investigation into billionaire Kurchenko, a crony of ex-President Viktor Yanukovych, who allegedly made a fortune through gas embezzlement schemes using state-run and private banking institutions, state-owned enterprises of the fuel and energy sector on a large scale.

Kurchenko was the owner of one of Ukraine’s top football clubs, Metalist Kharkiv, energy holding, named VETEK and the Ukrainian Media Holding group. The activities of the criminal organization have inflicted losses to the state amounting to more than Hr 7 billion ($257 million).

Kurchenko fled Ukraine when ex-President Yanukovych was overthrown after the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2014. They were closely connected during Yanukovych’s presidency. Both are now living in Russia. Kurchenko is targeted by the European Union and the U.S. sanction and is still on a wanted list.

Kurchenko’s lawyer Yuriy Sukhov said on Jan. 4 that they are going to appeal the decision.

In an interview with the Russian newspaper Moskovsky Komsomolets in December 2016, Kurchenko elaborated on his businesses in Ukraine. “We have invested lots of money in Ukrainian economy,” he was quoted as saying. “We created a lot of jobs, we pay taxes. We engaged in charity. Now they (Ukrainian government) try to accuse me of organizing criminal schemes, accuse of all deadly sins, call a criminal. But no one brought up specific charges.”

According to a 31-year-old oligarch, all the charges imposed by the Ukrainian government, have no grounds. He also added that “he works a lot and his assets are growing.”

“I am checking the market, analyzing the situation. There have been acquisitions, including the media. I also don’t forget about Ukrainian assets. (…) Of course, I will come back (to Ukraine). In what status – I don’t know. Business is an international thing and I know that one of my central offices would be in Kyiv.”