The trial of MP Oleksandr Yurchenko and his assistant Ivan Fishchenko continues to stall. The HACC has been unable to proceed to Fishchenko's examination for several consecutive hearings.
The examination was scheduled for March 10, 2026 but Fishchenko neither appeared in court nor connected via video link, instead filing a motion to adjourn. The situation was particularly awkward: the court had previously offered two possible dates, and it was Fishchenko himself who had requested March 10 as the priority. He had also previously told the court he had no time to attend hearings or coordinate his position with defense counsel. On the day of the hearing, however, his lawyer explained that Fishchenko was directly in a combat zone and that circumstances may have changed suddenly. The defense proposed proceeding in the meantime with other procedural matters and witness examinations.
The March 31 hearing also failed to proceed — this time because Yurchenko was on an official trip abroad in his capacity as an MP.
The April 9 hearing yielded no results either: Fishchenko again did not connect, as he was on military exercises. His unit commander informed the court in writing that even video participation was impossible given the nature of the training. Defense counsel expressed hope that Fishchenko would be able to join remotely or appear in person the following week. The presiding judge stressed the importance of the defendant's physical presence in the courtroom so that the panel can observe his testimony firsthand.
Defense witnesses also failed to appear — they either do not show up or do not respond.
The judge reminded the defense of the option to request a suspension of the criminal proceedings against Fishchenko if his military service continues to obstruct the trial. The defense, however, has not rushed to file such a motion and is instead prolonging the proceedings. It is worth noting that the panel includes judge Kateryna Sikora, who has successfully passed interviews with the PCIE and the HQCJ. Should she be appointed to the HACC Appeals Chamber, the defense could seek to restart the trial from the beginning — which may well be exactly what Yurchenko's and Fishchenko's lawyers are counting on.
The next hearing, scheduled for April 21, is expected to include either Fishchenko's examination or that of one of the defense witnesses.
MP Oleksandr Yurchenko and his assistant Ivan Fishchenko are charged with receiving a bribe and inciting bribery. According to the investigation, Yurchenko demanded money through an intermediary in exchange for introducing amendments to a waste management bill. The case materials contain recorded conversations in which the participants discussed payment amounts, referring to them as “perks.”
