Was Pashinsky’s $272 million bail paid from funds earmarked for the defense industry?

Members of the National Association of Defense Industry Enterprises contributed almost 273 million hryvnia for Pashinsky’s bail: where did the money come from and what is the ex-people’s deputy suspected of?

Was he able to “pay off” the law enforcement agencies and the public of his innocence? Former people's deputy Sergei Pashinsky was released after posting bail for him in the amount of UAH 272.5 million. The funds were allegedly contributed in full by members of the National Defense Industry Association.

What is known about the trial against the former parliamentarian today? What is he suspected of and where does the bail money come from? New details of the case of Sergei Pashinsky are in the video blog of journalist Olga Levitskaya.

In February, the Ukrainian special services, in particular the SBU, NABU and SAPO, announced suspicion against former MP Sergei Pashinsky and his business partner Sergei Tishchenko for misappropriation of petroleum products and causing damage to the state of almost a billion hryvnia.

Suspicion was also announced to four of their accomplices. They are accused of illegally appropriating and selling 97 thousand tons of oil products confiscated by the state that belonged to the structures of Sergei Kurchenko, an oligarch from the era of fugitive President Viktor Yanukovych, who is now in Russia. These petroleum products were intended for the needs of the army.

At the same time, recordings appeared online in which a man with a voice similar to Pashinsky’s voice speaks obscenely about the ex-commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Valery Zaluzhny and the Ukrainian people. According to media reports, in these recordings the man discusses defense issues, including inflating the cost of products for the Ukrainian military.

The suspect himself tried to convince law enforcement agencies of his innocence. He emphasized that he has no connections with other defendants in the case, except for businessman Sergei Tishchenko. In addition, Pashinsky categorically denied any business relationship with him.

At the stage of investigating the evidence, the defense added to the case materials a letter of recommendation from the National Association of Defense Industry Enterprises, which speaks quite positively about Pashinsky.

On February 26, the High Anti-Corruption Court imposed a preventive measure on Pashinsky. The condition of detention was established until April 25, 2024. But the very next day, members of the National Association of Defense Industry Enterprises paid a deposit of almost 273 million hryvnia.

Pashinsky himself wrote the following on his Facebook page: “I am very grateful for such colossal support, but at the same time I am very ashamed that the funds that should have been used for the production of weapons were used for bail for me on fake charges. I will work out every penny and get these funds back.”