Prosecutors have presented their position on all the episodes under suspicion against Tyshchenko. The defense and Tyshchenko himself then took the floor.

The unlawful benefit for not interfering with call centers

MP Mykola Tyshchenko allegedly demanded over UAH 51 million for not interfering with a network of illegal call centers linked to Yehor Levchenko (also known as Burkin), who is wanted by police. Investigators say Tyshchenko posed as a fighter against fraudulent call centers, sending inquiries and calling law enforcement hotlines under the cover of a temporary investigative commission. In reality, through intermediary Andrii Liashko, he allegedly offered Levchenko “immunity” and the elimination of competitors for money.

In August 2023, the following bribe demands were recorded:

• EUR 50,000 — for conducting searches targeting competitors;
• EUR 25,000 — a fixed fee for a separate episode;
• EUR 200,000 — for the organizer of the scheme.

Coded language used by the defendants

The parties allegedly used coded language:

• “a big one” or “the big constant” meant UAH 1 million,
• “50 Jews” and “50 flowers” stood for EUR 50,000 and USD 50,000, respectively, paid for removing videos showing the faces of employees at call centers under their control.

Acquiring assets obtained through criminal means

Investigators say the business of Tyshchenko's ex-wife, Alla Baranovska, was used to legalize the MP's shadow income — she registered as an individual entrepreneur immediately after his election to parliament. Investigators consider a February 2024 agreement fictitious, under which Baranovska “gifted” Tyshchenko UAH 12.6 million, since she had no legal income of that size.

Questioned by the NABU, she claimed millions in profit from real estate sales, but her own phone told a different story: her notes described the business as unprofitable, covering only salaries, and her personal messages about trips included lines like “need to get a thousand from Kolia, tickets cost 4,500.”

Covert surveillance also recorded Baranovska discussing the purchase of luxury cars with business partner Vitalii Sitak. They allegedly planned to set aside $100,000 but spend only $60,000 on the cars so they would “look as expensive as possible,” pocketing the remaining $40,000 — with Sitak noting that “25 needs to go to NN” (their code name for Tyshchenko).

Investigators also allege that funds from Tyshchenko's charity, Way of Peace, were diverted for the personal enrichment of the MP, his ex-wife, and Sitak.

The defense's position

The defense called the case against Tyshchenko politically motivated. His lawyers argued he actively fought illegal call centers and that the bribery allegations are pure speculation on the part of investigators.

According to the defense, Tyshchenko is a genuine opponent of illegal call centers, and the witnesses testifying against him belong to the transnational criminal group Khimprom, which is trying to stop his fight against them. The defense called the evidence fabricated and edited, and the suspicion itself artificial.

On the funds Tyshchenko declared as a gift from his ex-wife, the defense said there was nothing improper about the transaction. Investigators reportedly have correspondence between Baranovska and Tyshchenko, but the defense argued that prosecutors are “reading between the lines” to suggest an illicit origin for the money. The couple, the defense said, worked together for years and earned the sum legally, later dividing their assets proportionally upon divorce.

The lawyer also noted that he had submitted to the court a lifestyle monitoring report from the NACP, which found no assets obtained unlawfully.

Finally, the defense argued that the bail amount requested by the prosecution is excessive, given Tyshchenko's official financial standing, and asked the court to release him on personal recognizance instead.

Mykola Tyshchenko stated that he took no bribes from Khimprom associates. In his firm view, all of NABU's evidence was obtained unlawfully and supplied by Khimprom. He stressed that he had earned his money legally throughout his life, paid taxes, and declared his income accurately — the same, he said, applied to his ex-wife. Tyshchenko also argued that only NACP has the legal authority to audit his income, and that the NABU is overstepping its mandate by pursuing cases outside its jurisdiction.

On the funds received from his ex-wife, Tyshchenko said that he and Baranovska had divided their property equally, as required by law, and that he had simply received the share due to him.

The SAPO is seeking pretrial detention for Tyshchenko, with bail set at UAH 19 million as an alternative.

MPs Yevhen Yakovenko, Oleh Voronko, Vasyl Nimchenko, Heorhii Mazurash, and Valerii Ihnatenko filed a motion for Mykola Tyshchenko's release on personal recognizance.

MPs Oleh Voronko and Heorhii Mazurash, along with Oleksandr Sutko, deputy head of the veterans' NGO Air Patrol, presented the motion. They stated that they fully understood the legal and financial consequences of vouching for Tyshchenko and assured the court that they were able to guarantee his compliance with his procedural obligations.