The Appeal Chamber of the High Anti-Corruption Court (VAKS) has decided to uphold the 6 million UAH bail imposed on former diplomat Olga Stefanishyna. The ruling follows a review of appeals filed by her defense team.
According to the court’s statement, the judges dismissed the defense’s appeals. The decision became legally binding immediately upon announcement and cannot be contested in any higher court.
As of now, Stefanishyna has secured the bail amount, which comes with several procedural obligations. She is required to appear before investigators, prosecutors, and the court upon request, inform authorities of any changes to her residence, and refrain from contacting specified individuals.
Stefanishyna has previously indicated to reporters that she did not possess the funds to secure the bail. However, she later announced that her former colleagues in the legal business would cover the bail amount on her behalf. Reports suggest that the law firm “Ilyashev & Partners,” where Stefanishyna joined as an advisor in 2020, is involved in this arrangement.
Background
- On August 3, 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed Stefanishyna from her position as Ukraine’s ambassador to the US. She claimed that her resignation was a personal decision. Prior reports indicated that her dismissal could be linked to an investigation regarding the purchase of an apartment in Kyiv at an undervalued price, which she has denied.
- On August 5, the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) charged Stefanishyna with three counts of illegal enrichment totaling 13.9 million UAH and two instances of undeclared assets. Investigators allege that in 2024, she may have acquired two apartments in the “Faina Town” complex through a friend, transferred nearly $100,000 in cash for their renovation, and failed to declare the properties while also using a Mercedes vehicle and another apartment. Her defense has dismissed the allegations, asserting a lack of direct evidence. Stefanishyna herself described the media coverage surrounding her case as a “storm in a glass of water.”
- Previously, in 2023, Stefanishyna faced charges in a separate case involving former Justice Minister Olena Lukash from the Yanukovych era, accused of misappropriating 2.5 million UAH allocated from the state budget.
