The HACC AC refused to overturn the interim measure in the form of detention for businessman Serhiy Tyshchenko and reduce his bail to UAH 20 million. The defense had previously filed a relevant motion.
In response to this decision, Tyshchenko emphatically stated that he was a patriot of Ukraine and was not going to flee. He said that he just wanted to spend the New Year’s Eve at home with his 5 daughters and emphasized that love for family and country was a priority for him.
Tyshchenko's defense attorney insisted that the risks were completely unjustified and asked the court to reduce the bail to UAH 20 million. In addition, he drew attention to the fact that the pre-trial investigation period was coming to an end; Tyshchenko has been in custody for more than 10 months. This could serve as a powerful argument for Tyshchenko's release in the near future.
The prosecutor's office, on the contrary, emphasized Tyshchenko's business abroad and the risks that he might flee Ukraine. Currently, the bail amount set for the businessman is UAH 100 million (initially, the court set it at UAH 360 million and reduced it several times).
Tyshchenko, together with former MP Pashynskyi, is suspected of involvement in the embezzlement of oil products from the Odesa Oil Refinery, associated with oligarch Kurchenko. The raw materials in the case were worth over UAH 960 million.