Anti-Corruption Court allows trial of Odesa businessman Galanternyk in absentia

The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine granted the prosecutor's motion and allowed a special trial of businessman Volodymyr Halantynnyk, accused of organizing a corrupt organization in Odesa City Hall.

The judges made the decision on September 19.

The basis for the motion was the repeated failure of the accused Volodymyr Galanternyk to appear in court and his hiding from the pre-trial investigation authorities. According to the prosecutor, the businessman left the territory of Ukraine back in 2021 and has not returned.

In addition, the court granted a similar motion against the accused assistant to Gennadiy Trukhanov, Aliona Popova. This decision will allow the trial of the businessman and his assistant to continue in their absence.

In December 2024, the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office brought to court the case of a criminal organization that caused the Odesa community to lose UAH 689 million. The 11 defendants include the current mayor of Odesa, city council officials, the head of an enterprise and other participants.

According to the investigation, the criminal organization developed a plan to illegally seize budget funds and land plots of the community. As a result of its actions, from 2016 to 2019, the territorial community lost at least six land plots with a total area of 15.9 hectares and UAH 131 million, which Odesa City Hall officials illegally overpaid when buying non-residential real estate on the site, which was allegedly planned to be used to expand the cemetery.

The NABU did not name the suspects, but Intent reported that it was Odesa businessman Volodymyr Halanternyk, who is hiding from the investigation abroad. The other defendants include Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov, his former deputies Oleh Bryndak and Petro Ryabokon, former city council member Vasyl Shkryabai, director of the legal department Inna Popovska, founder of the Budova company Dmytro Dimarsky, and others.

Кирило Бойко