Position: Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, Minister of National Unity, former Minister of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine.
Sphere of corruption: construction.
Region of corruption activity: all of Ukraine.
Qualification: Part 2 of Art. 15 Part 2 of Art. 28 Part 2 of Art. 364, Part 4 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Status: the issue of choosing a preventive measure is being resolved.
Case story: In June 2025, NABU and SAPO informed the current Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine, who previously held the position of Minister of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, about suspicion of abuse of office and obtaining illegal benefits in a particularly large amount for himself and third parties. He became the sixth suspect in the case of a large-scale corruption transaction in the construction sector with the participation of top state officials.
According to the investigation, one of the capital's developers developed a scheme to illegally obtain a land plot in Kyiv for the construction of a residential complex. To do this, he turned to the head of the Ministry of Regional Development, who, together with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Development, the Minister's advisor, and the director of the state enterprise, created conditions for transferring the plot to this state-owned enterprise. The latter, in turn, illegally concluded investment contracts with the "necessary" construction company.
According to them, the developer was supposed to give the state a part of the future apartments in a quantity proportional to the value of the land plot. In order to minimize this quantity, the land and the buildings on it were valued almost five times cheaper, and the difference between this valuation and the market value exceeded 1 billion UAH. It was this amount that the state would have received less real estate in the event of the execution of the contracts. This was prevented by the seizure of the plot, imposed at the request of the NABU and the SAPO.
For the successful implementation of the deal, the developer "rewarded" the minister and the persons designated by him with a significant discount on apartments in already constructed residential complexes. With it, the cost of a square meter was from 1 thousand UAH to 8 thousand UAH, with the minimum market value of such apartments being about 30 thousand UAH per sq. m. Thus, the minister received an unlawful benefit in the form of a discount for a total amount of more than 14.5 million UAH.
At the request of the NABU and the SAPO, most of the illegally obtained apartments were also seized.
The actions of the ex-minister are qualified under Part 2 of Art. 15 Part 2 of Art. 28 Part 2 of Art. 364, Part 4 of Art. 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The issue of choosing a preventive measure for him is being resolved.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov, who is suspected of abuse of office and receiving illegal benefits in a particularly large amount, has filed a motion to postpone the hearing of the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court scheduled for June 25.
The official announced this on Facebook.
Considering that Wednesday is the scheduled day of the Cabinet of Ministers and Government meeting, which involves my personal participation, yesterday I filed a motion to postpone the court hearing, which was scheduled for this Wednesday, June 25.
He assured that he was following all procedures and hoped that the motion would be granted and the date and time of the court hearing would be agreed upon in advance with all parties to the case.
According to the correspondent of Suspilny, the consideration of the preventive measure for Oleksiy Chernyshov was postponed to 12:10 on June 26.
The National Anti-Corruption Bureau and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office are requesting the removal of Oleksiy Chernyshov from the position of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Unity.
This is reported by the press services of the authorities, but they do not mention the name of the suspect.
According to media reports, this is Chernyshov.
NABU and SAPO have filed a petition with the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court to remove the current Deputy Prime Minister from office.
Subsequently, the High Anti-Corruption Court applied a preventive measure in the form of a bail of UAH 120 million to Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov, with the assignment of a number of responsibilities.
The detective of the National Anti-Corruption Court and the prosecutor of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office requested that Chernyshov be placed on bail of UAH 120 million. They also requested the following obligations: to appear upon every request; to report any change in his place of residence and place of work; not to leave Kyiv and Kyiv region without permission; to refrain from communicating with other suspects in the case and witnesses.
According to the investigation, developer Serhiy Kopystyra engaged Chernyshov, who held the position of Minister of Community and Territorial Development, to obtain a permit for the development of a land plot in Kyiv at 43 Tiraspolska Street. In return, individuals associated with Chernyshov received a discount on apartments in residential complexes built by Kopystyra's companies.
According to the investigation, Chernyshov engaged his advisor Maksym Horbatyuk to contact Kopystyra on this issue. He also instructed his advisor Maryna Medvedev to deal with the issues of registering apartments for third parties. In particular, housing was registered for Svyatoslav Malashka, Yulia Marchuk and Hanna Drebotii. In return, Chernyshov and former State Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Development Vasyl Volodin transferred the specified land plot under the control of the state enterprise Ukrkomunobslugovuvannya, headed by Alla Sushon. The specified state enterprise concluded agreements with Kopystyra's structures, but the land was never built on, since the plot was seized at the initiative of the NABU and the SAPO.
The motion is partially granted. A preventive measure in the form of a bail of UAH 120 million is applied to the suspect Chernyshov Oleksiy Mykhailovych.
He was also given a list of duties requested by the prosecution.
On July 2, 2025, the account of the High Anti-Corruption Court received UAH 120 million in bail, assigned to Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov as a preventive measure.
This was reported by the media with reference to the head of the communications department of the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine Olesya Chemerys. As is known, the anti-corruption court set a bail of UAH 120 million for the suspect Chernyshov with a number of obligations.
Full bail has been posted for the suspected Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Unity
Also, the High Anti-Corruption Court did not remove Oleksiy Chernyshov from the position of Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Unity within the framework of the case of attempted abuse and obtaining unlawful benefit.
This decision was made by the investigating judge of the HACC Vitaliy Kryklyvyi.
To refuse to grant the motion of the NABU detective, approved by the SAPO prosecutor, to remove the suspect Chernyshov Oleksiy Mykhailovych from his position
At the end of July 2025, it became known that the Detectives of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau were investigating the episode of the employment of bodyguards and domestic staff of former Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Chernyshov at NJSC Naftogaz Ukraine.
They could receive a minimum salary of UAH 300,000 per month and be exempt from mobilization when Chernyshov headed the state-owned company.
This was reported to ZN.UA by sources in law enforcement agencies.
As it is said, the episode about "employment" at Naftogaz was mentioned in the court ruling, according to which Chernyshov's house was searched in June. However, due to the adoption of the scandalous Law No. 12414, which significantly limited the powers of anti-corruption bodies, NABU suspended this investigation.
On August 7, 2025, it became known that the Supreme Anti-Corruption Court did not consider the appeal regarding the preventive measure against former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov - the hearing was postponed, and the ruling of the investigating judge remains in force.
The session of the High Anti-Corruption Court, which was supposed to consider the appeal against the preventive measure for Chernyshov, did not take place. According to court representatives, it was postponed due to the workload of the panel of judges. This is not the first time - on July 3, the session of the High Anti-Corruption Court was also postponed for the same reason.
My defense and I will work to prove my innocence and prove the relevant facts as quickly as possible.
Persons potentially involved in corruption schemes: suspicion of abuse of office, receipt and provision of illegal benefits in a particularly large amount was reported to: the former State Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Development, current member of the Board of Naftogaz of Ukraine – Part 2 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364, Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine; the former advisor to the minister – Part 5 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine; the former director of a state-owned enterprise – Part 2 of Article 15, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine; the developer (organizer of the scheme) – Part 3 of Article 27, Part 2 of Article 15, Part 2 Art. 28, Part 2 Art. 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine; to an official of a construction company – Part 3 Art. 27, Part 2 Art. 15, Part 2 Art. 28, Part 2 Art. 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The court chose preventive measures for them: three – in the form of detention with the alternative of bail from UAH 20 million to UAH 100 million, and two more – in the form of bail.
Business partner Lilia Lysenko.
Liliya Lysenko, a defendant in the case of former Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov, is building estates in Kozyn, Kyiv region. She is Chernyshov's longtime business partner.
This is stated in the investigation by Bihus.Info.
Journalists report that Liliya Lysenko is the official owner of the company "Blum Development", which is engaged in the construction of elite property. From 2019 to 2023, the co-owner of "Blum Development" was Oleksiy Chernyshov's wife Svetlana.
But since 2018, Oleksiy Chernyshov himself has been a co-owner of Bloom Development. A year later, Chernyshov transferred his share of ownership to his wife because he was elected head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration.
Journalists claim that after attracting Oleksiy Chernyshov to the company, Bloom Development received a project to build estates in Kozyatyn.
Liliya Lysenko herself has been working with the Chernyshov family even before she became a co-owner of the company. She received a salary from the representative office of the Chernyshov Austrian company.
In 2024, Lilia Lysenko's home was searched and equipment was seized in a corruption case involving Oleksiy Chernyshov. Investigators also found correspondence discussing the terms of the sale of one of the apartments with Lysenko, a discount on which the NABU and SAPO identify as a bribe.
Wealth: According to research into the declarations of Ukrainian ministers for 2024, the highest income was declared by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of National Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov. According to the declaration of the 47-year-old official, last year his family received UAH 37.3 million in income. In particular, Oleksiy Chernyshov received UAH 25.1 million in salary and UAH 4.6 thousand in other additional benefits from Naftogaz, another UAH 90.5 thousand from the Cabinet of Ministers, and UAH 6 million in interest from the bank. He also received almost UAH 3.4 million in income from the alienation of movable property (except for securities and corporate rights) and UAH 747 thousand in interest from domestic government bonds (OVDP).
The wife of the Vice Prime Minister, Svitlana, last year received more than 655 thousand UAH of salary from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and 8.6 thousand UAH of fees and other payments, another 5 thousand UAH of fees and other payments from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Svitlana also received 1.44 million UAH of income from entrepreneurial activity. Oleksiy Chernyshov owns an apartment (208.7 m2) worth 5.37 million UAH. Svitlana Chernyshova is the owner of four apartments (45.9 m2, 41.9 m2, 42 m2, 47.1 m2). She also rents a residential building of 939.1 m2 in a village in the Kyiv region.
The official's declaration lists only one car - a Toyota Land Cruiser 200 (2020 model), owned by Svitlana Chernyshova. She purchased this car in June 2021 for over UAH 1.9 million.
The Chernyshovs also own a number of luxury items. These include Swiss watches, jewelry, fur coats, etc. The couple also declared two book collections and a collection of 20th-century paintings (30 paintings).
Persons who should have reacted: in the Chernyshov case, law enforcement officers reacted in a timely manner.
Scandals: In June 2025, a scandal involving Chernyshov rocked Ukrainian politics and social media. A number of MPs and the media drew attention to the fact that the minister did not return from a business trip to Ukraine, even to participate in a forum organized by his ministry.
Deputies and journalists suggested that this could be somehow connected to the criminal case on corruption being investigated by NABU. And, as the case materials show, the minister may also be mentioned there.
And therefore, they say, he may face certain actions from law enforcement officers at home. The Ministry of Unity insists that Chernyshov's visit abroad was planned.
It got to the point that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and President Volodymyr Zelensky had to comment on the minister's European tour in parliament. They all insisted that he was on a business trip until June 22 and then he should return.
Later, Oleksiy Chernyshov indeed returned to Ukraine from a foreign trip and already took part in a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers.
"Finally at home... We will analyze the discredit campaign based on the facts, the truth always wins," he wrote on Facebook.
Sources:
https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/articles/c2le9k1gvq8o
https://public.nazk.gov.ua/documents/0bfa60b8-d5f0-428c-97b1-0f8cb056cadf
https://suspilne.media/1085319-sud-bez-zmin-zalisiv-zapobiznij-zahid-cernisovu/