Today, March 18, 2026, the HACC held the first preparatory hearing in the case of former Deputy Head of the Office of the President Andrii Smyrnov and construction company owner Ihor Chernyshev.

At the start of the hearing, defense lawyer Ivashchenko filed a motion requesting that the case be heard by a panel of judges, arguing that this would contribute to an effective and impartial trial.

Judge Vitalii Kryklyvyi granted the motion and referred the case for panel consideration. As a result, the first preparatory hearing could not be completed in full.

As previously reported, Andrii Smyrnov is accused of illicit enrichment in the amount of UAH 15.7 million, money laundering through the construction of houses in Odesa region, and accepting an offer of a USD 100,000 bribe. According to the investigation, in exchange for an undue benefit, the official facilitated the adoption by the Antimonopoly Committee of a decision in favor of a specific construction company.

In April 2025, Andrii Smyrnov was served with a notice of suspicion under Article 368-5(1), Article 209(1) and (2), and Article 368(4) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, while Ihor Chernyshev, owner of the construction company Relic Invest, was served with a notice of suspicion under Article 369(3) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.