Kyiv court detains former Ukrenergo chief Volodymyr Kudrytsky in embezzlement case amid claims of political pressure.
A Kyiv court has ordered the detention of Volodymyr Kudrytsky, the former head of Ukraine’s state energy operator Ukrenergo, over alleged embezzlement, a ruling that has raised concerns about possible political interference as the country faces its fourth wartime winter.
Kudrytsky, who was dismissed last year, is accused of participating in the embezzlement of 13.7 million hryvnias (about $327,000) in 2018, according to prosecutors.
The Pechersk District Court in Kyiv ruled on Wednesday to place Kudrytsky in pre-trial detention for two months, unless he pays bail set at $300,000.
Calling the ruling “absurd and unfounded,” Kudrytsky told the Ukrainska Pravda newspaper that the charges were politically motivated.
Anastasia Radina, head of Ukraine’s parliamentary anti-corruption committee, described the case as “nothing more than pressure,” suggesting it may be an attempt to silence a political opponent. Several lawmakers have also offered to stand as guarantors for his bail.
Kudrytsky, who led Ukrenergo from 2020, played a key role in managing Ukraine’s power grid during Russia’s full-scale invasion, which severely strained the country’s energy infrastructure. His sudden dismissal last year was widely criticized by board members as politically driven.
This year, Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy network have intensified, reportedly crippling up to 60 percent of Kyiv’s natural gas production, a major concern as the country prepares for another harsh winter.
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