The HACC Appeals Chamber is today hearing the appeal filed by the defense of Yelyzaveta Ivakhnenko, also known as “the Muse,” an accomplice of Serhii Kropyva (“the Chancellor”). On September 7, 2026, the HACC ordered detention as a preventive measure for the Muse, with the alternative of UAH 20 million bail.

The defense's position

Counsel maintain that Ivakhnenko's guilt has not been proven. The Muse was not a member of any criminal group and did not help Kropyva legalize criminally obtained funds. The defense also insists that the court of first instance imposed a preventive measure that is excessive for the suspect. An analysis of the income Ivakhnenko earned in 2025 and 2026 shows she does not have the money to post UAH 20 million bail. Counsel argue that the case file contains not a single word from Ivakhnenko proving that she committed any crime.

Counsel further submitted documents on Ivakhnenko's state of health. Because of medical confidentiality, these were not read out in the hearing, but the defense asked the panel of judges to take the medical data into account when deciding in the deliberation room.

In closing, the defense asked the court to overturn the first-instance ruling that imposed the preventive measure on Ivakhnenko.

Ivakhnenko's position

The Muse stated that she does not plead guilty and fully supports her counsel's position. She did not know that the criminal organization existed and took no part in it whatsoever. The suspect asked the court to review all the documents on her state of health and her need for treatment and for medical examinations that had been scheduled long before she was served with the notice of suspicion.

The prosecution's position

The prosecutor disagreed with the defense's appeals. He read out a conversation between Kropyva and Ivakhnenko from March 2026. The two discussed “running” money through Ivakhnenko's individual entrepreneur account. The prosecution stressed that investigators have a great many such conversations, and that they state directly that Ivakhnenko's accounts were used to legalize criminally obtained property. On that basis, the prosecutor asked the court to deny the appeals filed by the Muse's defense.

The court has now withdrawn to the deliberation room to decide.