Position: Colonel of the National Guard of Ukraine.
Sphere of corrupt activity: military.
Region of corruption activity: all of Ukraine.
Qualification: actions are qualified under Part 3 of Article 28, Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Status: in custody.
Case story: On August 2, NABU and SAPO exposed a corruption scheme involving price inflating in state contracts for the purchase of UAVs and electronic warfare equipment. Among those detained was the former head of the Luhansk Oblast Autonomous Administration Serhiy Haiday, who subsequently served as head of the Mukachevo Regional State Administration. President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an order on his release on August 3.
According to the investigation, the current People's Deputy from the "Servant of the People" party, Oleksiy Kuznetsov from Luhansk region, participated in the transaction. As reported by the head of the "Servant of the People" faction, David Arakhamia, the People's Deputy's membership in the political force has been suspended for the duration of the investigation.
On August 4, law enforcement officers reported their suspicions to Gaidai, Kuznetsov, the head of the Rubizhna RMA, Andriy Yurchenko, the commander of one of the military units of the National Guard, as well as the owner and director of a drone production company.
The report does not name the suspects, but it was previously reported that the following are involved in the case:
- former head of the Luhansk Regional State Administration, Mukachevo District State Administration Serhiy Gaidai (Part 5 of Article 191, Part 3 of Article 28, Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
- People's Deputy from the "Servant of the People" Oleksiy Kuznetsov (Part 5 of Article 191, Part 3 of Article 28, Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
- Head of the Rubizhna City Military Administration Andriy Yurchenko (Part 3 of Article 28, Part 4 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
- commander of a military unit of the National Guard of Ukraine (Part 3, Article 28, Part 4, Article 368 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine);
- the owner of the drone manufacturing company "Acopters" Vladyslav Marchenko and the director of this enterprise (Part 5 of Article 191, Part 2 of Article 28, Part 1 of Article 114-1 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
The owner and director of the UAV manufacturing company were also additionally charged with obstructing the lawful activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to the investigation, they, in exchange for a monetary reward, registered people for work and provided them with reservations, effectively blocking the possibility of their mobilization into the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
It is alleged that in 2024–2025, this group of people systematically misappropriated budget funds that local governments allocated for the needs of the Defense Forces.
In particular, among the established episodes is the purchase of electronic warfare systems and FPV drones.
For signing a contract with a knowingly inflated price, the group members received up to 30% of the contract amount as an illegal benefit. According to a similar scheme, FPV drones worth almost 10 million UAH were purchased. The company supplied products at a cost that was inflated by about 80 thousand USD, after which the officials transferred part of the funds as a "kickback" to the members of the criminal group
On the same day, Oleksiy Kuznetsov was taken into custody with the option of posting bail of UAH 8 million, and Serhiy Gaidai was sent to a pre-trial detention center for 60 days with the option of posting bail of UAH 10 million.
On August 5, a judge of the Supreme Administrative Court of Ukraine (VAKS) chose a preventive measure for the former head of the Rubizhna MVA, Andriy Yurchenko. He was taken into custody for 60 days. The judge also set bail in the amount of UAH 6 million.
The VAKS also sent the director of the drone manufacturer "Acopters" Yevhenia Sidelnikova and the head of the military unit Vasyl Myshansky to pre-trial detention with the alternative of posting bail in the amount of UAH 2 million each.
According to Oleg Novikov, three defendants in this case were released on bail on August 7. In total, UAH 14 million in bail was received by the High Anti-Corruption Court, namely:
- 10 million UAH – for the former head of the Mukachevo Regional Administrative District, former head of the Luhansk Regional Administrative District Serhiy Gaidai;
- 2 million UAH – for the director of the Kyiv company "Acopters" Yevhenia Sidelnikova;
- 2 million UAH – for the commander of the Rubizh National Guard brigade, Vasyl Myshansky.
It is noted that the suspects were already due to be released from custody. The High Anti-Corruption Court imposed a number of obligations on the defendants, including wearing an electronic bracelet. Serhiy Gaidai is also prohibited from leaving Uzhhorod without permission.
Also, on August 5, the Supreme Court of Ukraine applied a preventive measure to National Guard Colonel Vasyl Myshansky, who is suspected of corruption during the purchase of drones and electronic warfare systems for his military unit - detention with the alternative of bail in the amount of UAH 2 million.
Thus, Myshansky was remanded in custody until September 30 with the option of posting bail of 2 million hryvnias.
According to SAPO prosecutor Vitaliy Rybalkin, the commander of the military unit, Vasyl Myshansky, allegedly received 250,000 hryvnias in compensation for the purchase of more expensive radar systems from a private company. According to the investigation, the serviceman had a connection with the former head of the Rubizhna RMA, Andriy Yurchenko. This was confirmed by Myshansky himself.
I haven’t seen him since we graduated as cadets. I knew that he became the head of the Rubizhne military administration, I know that he used to help my military unit. When he became a commander, I crossed paths with him and said: “If you can, give me some subsidy so that I can improve my defense capabilities.” He agreed.
According to him, when he was transferred to the combat brigade, there were problems with support: there were not enough drones, and there were no electronic warfare systems at all. Yurchenko had already introduced the suspect to Oleksiy Kuznetsov, a member of parliament from the Servant of the People party, who also promised to help.
During the hearing, the prosecutor read out materials from secret investigative and search operations and read out telephone conversations between the suspects. At the same time, attorney Andriy Velykotsky emphasized that most of the conversations read out did not concern his client and he was not a participant in those conversations.
The subsidy was allocated at the beginning of the year, but the purchase was only made last month, because for a long time they could not find the necessary equipment that would meet the standards. The suspect said this.
According to him, throughout the entire time, a representative of one of the private enterprises Dorofeev approached him with various proposals. The last proposal regarding radar systems met all the criteria, including the price. After the contract was signed, Colonel Myshansky was invited to a joint dinner.
Dorofeev invited me to dinner on August 2. Kuznetsov was there too, I didn't even know he was coming. He handed me a package, I hid it in my bag. I thought it was because we agreed to buy either a car or a Starlink
When he left the institution, he was detained by NABU officers.
The prosecutor requested that the suspect be held in custody for 60 days with an alternative bail of over 7 million hryvnias.
The suspect's lawyers replied that the military man does not have that kind of money: from the beginning of the year until July, he received over 450,000 hryvnias, excluding taxes; the man does not own real estate and lives in a service apartment. Lawyer Andriy Velikotsky asked to reduce the bail amount to a moderate amount.
Persons potentially involved in corruption schemes: at the court hearing, the prosecutor listed the following persons involved in the case: Oleksiy Kuznetsov, People's Deputy of Ukraine from the "Servant of the People" party; Serhiy Gaidai, former head of the Luhansk Oblast Armed Forces, until recently head of the Mukachevo District Administration; Andriy Yurchenko, head of the Rubizhna Military Police; Vasyl Myshansky, head of a military unit of the National Guard of Ukraine; Yevheniya Sidelnikova, director of a company supplying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); Vladyslav Marchenko, the actual beneficiary of the enterprise.
Assets: There are no declarations of Myshansky's income in open sources.
Persons who should have reacted: in the case of Myshansky, law enforcement officers reacted in a timely manner.
Scandals: Before the corruption scheme, he was not seen as a figure in other scandals.
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