Kropiva, the former deputy head of the Odesa Regional State Administration, was remanded in custody with bail set

The High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine has ordered pretrial detention, with the option of bail, for Serhiy Kropiva, the former deputy head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, who currently works at the Office of the Prosecutor General.

The court issued this ruling on September 6. 

During the court hearing, the prosecutor read aloud correspondence between Serhiy Kropiva and other members of what the investigation alleges was a criminal group led by Ukraine’s Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko. In particular, the head of the Department of International Cooperation is accused of covering up fraudulent call centers and overseeing renovations at the home of Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko in Kozin.

In addition, according to information released by the prosecutor, Kropiva helped Kravchenko’s wife obtain a visa to the United States and organized the Prosecutor General’s birthday celebration in Madrid. Overall, investigators believe that Serhiy Kropiva was under Ruslan Kravchenko’s protection the entire time. Following his statement, the prosecutor requested that Serhiy Kropiva be held in pretrial detention with bail set at 200 million hryvnias.

The defense attorneys, however, insisted that the prosecutor had not proven Serhiy Kropiva’s intent to flee the country or to pressure witnesses, and that the amount of bail was unreasonable. Serhiy Kropiva himself also stated that he had no intention of fleeing and was prepared to post bail in the amount of 2 million hryvnias. He also claimed that employees of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine are intimidating potential sureties, making it impossible for him to raise 200 million. 

The court settled on bail in the amount of 120 million hryvnias. 

Кирило Бойко