The curator of Big Construction, Kirill Timoshenko, who was fired from the Presidential Office for corruption scandals, unexpectedly returned to the big game. In the Ministry of Defense. And this happened when significant budget expenditures would go to fortifications.
Kirill Timoshenko, former deputy head of the Presidential Office, began working as an adviser to Defense Minister Rustem Umerov. This news was reported by NV at the end of last week.
According to the publication, Andrei Ermak’s former deputy has been working with the minister for several weeks.
“He regularly comes to the ministry, in fact he already works in the department, has meetings with Umerov, has an office there and brings his own team to the department,” noted one of the publication’s interlocutors.
The press service of the Ministry of Defense, in response to a corresponding request from NV, reported that Tymoshenko has been holding the position of full-time adviser to the Minister of Defense since March 1, 2024, on the basis of the relevant order on his appointment.
“The main area of activity of Kirill Tymoshenko is media and communications, coordination of information policy in the Ministry of Defense and structures subordinate to the Ministry of Defense, as well as the construction of a unified information agenda in the Defense Forces of Ukraine for the duration of martial law,” the press service of the Ministry of Defense added.
The very scene of Tymoshenko's appearance at the ministry does not seem good. After all, it was the ministry that decided not to communicate first. And in fact, journalists found this out by accident. Moreover, some deputy ministers did not confirm this information even the day before the news appeared.
Which rather indicates that they were in no hurry to share the news.
Tymoshenko is called to the Moscow Region as a communications adviser. But what can you remember from the hero’s biography?
Tymoshenko first became famous because his production company GoodMedia made a PR film about Petro Poroshenko’s main ally, Igor Kononenko. That film, rather, harmed the hero than helped, since it became a reason for ridicule.
It was Tymoshenko who in August 2019 supplied a number of media outlets with a fake letter from the then head of the OP Andrei Bogdan about his dismissal.
The story was hushed up as if nothing had happened.
Further, the country knew about Tymoshenko’s media successes, rather, in the context of the fact that the Kinokit company, associated with his wife, constantly received government orders.
For example, in January it became known that the Rada TV channel entered into an agreement worth almost 105 million hryvnias, providing for the production of television programs for the United News telethon, produced by Kinokit LLC. Last year, the same company received 120 million from the channel.
After this news, Tymoshenko recorded a video where he denied any connection with the Kinokit company.
“I would like to remind you that my wife has the largest and coolest film school in Ukraine. Several thousand students have already passed through this film school. And the vast majority of them have media, film business and work in positions in such agencies. So, are they all connected to me now?” - said Tymoshenko.
He also threatened anyone who disseminates such information with a possible appearance in court. Recalling that he has already won the case against the NAPC.
At the same time, the publication Glavkom at one time published extensive material about the connections between Kinokit and Tymoshenko, and they are clearly not talking about just one random person.
“According to open sources, back in 2014, the first owner of Kinokit, Grigory Zinchenko, together with Kirill Tymoshenko, took part in the filming of the inauguration of President Petro Poroshenko. It was Goodmedia, which specialized in the production of political advertising, that then broadcast this official event,” the publication noted.
Since 2017, cooperation between Kinokit LLC and Goodmedia has become closer. During the presidency of Vladimir Zelensky, this tandem appeared in the organization of the “Ukraine 30” forum, initiated by the head of state, noted the author of the material, Vitaly Taranenko.
As is known, Tymoshenko lost his position in the Office of the President after UP journalists released an investigation at the end of 2022 that Ermak’s deputy was seen driving the new Porsche Taycan 2021. Its cost is about $100,000. The car was provided to him by businessman Vemir Davityan, whom called the informal curator of the Zaporozhye region from the authorities.
Journalists' sources also helped to find out that Tymoshenko settled on an estate of almost 1,200 square meters with its own access to a reservoir, which belongs to businessman Igor Nikonov. He is one of the largest developers in Kyiv. This was interpreted by the media as a potential conflict of interest, since shortly before this, a message appeared on the page of Nikonov’s construction company that two residential areas of KAN Development had joined the state program “eOselya” - preferential housing mortgages.
But the greatest publicity was caused by another investigation, where Bihus journalists. info found out that Tymoshenko uses a Chevrolet Tahoe as a work car. The scandal was that the American company General Motors transferred 50 cars to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes and the removal of people from the combat zone this spring, and not for transporting an official around Kyiv. After publication, Tymoshenko abandoned this car.
On January 24 last year, Tymoshenko was fired from the OP. Although then the main reason was said to be his conflict with another part of the Office’s leadership.
After the release of the stories, Tymoshenko came under the monitoring of the NAPC. In addition to the above-mentioned episodes, during the inspection of the NACP, it was found that the official used his powers for personal interests and violated the restrictions established by the Law “On the Prevention of Corruption” regarding the receipt of gifts by a person occupying a particularly responsible position.
Thus, while holding the position of deputy head of the OPU, he signed a letter to the State Border Service of Ukraine (SBSU) with a request to provide permission to travel abroad to his subordinate, allegedly for a business trip. However, the NACP established that the real purpose of the subordinate’s travel abroad was private interest - obtaining visas for Tymoshenko and his son.
“Thus, the ex-official, using his official position and in order to satisfy personal needs, received permission for his subordinates to cross the state border. Such actions are qualified under Parts 1 and 2 of Art. 172-7 KUoAP (Violation of requirements for the prevention and resolution of conflicts of interest),” noted the NAPC.
“In addition, during 2022, Tymoshenko stayed for free three times in the Emili Resort hotel complex, 2 of which were with his wife and son. In his explanations, he confirmed that he actually used the services of the hotel, but could not provide confirmation of the fact of payment for accommodation for more than 45 thousand UAH,” the message said.
After Tymoshenko did not come to the NAPC to give an explanation in August 2023, the materials were transferred to the court.
Last fall, Tymoshenko was found not guilty by the Pechersk court. As evidence, it was given that his wife then paid for the rental of the car and premises.
However, the NAPC called the court’s arguments to recognize Tymoshenko innocent as incomplete and unconvincing, and the corresponding decision as unmotivated.
The problem is that the NAPC did not have the opportunity to prove its case in court.
As noted in the National Agency, according to the current legislation, the NACP is empowered to draw up protocols on administrative offenses, but is not a party to the consideration of the case and does not have the opportunity to provide the court with arguments in defense of its positions.
“The arguments of the Pechersk court did not convince the public that the ex-deputy head of the OPU is truly innocent and, if the NACP had the opportunity to present its arguments, the National Agency would have effectively used it,” the agency said.
But after the court decision, Tymoshenko announced his “loud return.”
It looks like it happened.
The appearance of the former deputy head of the OP at the Ministry of Defense triggered a wave of jokes that Kinokit would now earn money from Army TV. Although it should be recognized that the budget expenditures on information support for the Defense Ministry are much more modest - 42 million.
Construction is another matter. After all, no one has forgotten that Tymoshenko was at one time the curator of “big construction” in the Office.
After the adoption of the budget, Ukrinform, citing the Ministry of Defense, reported 36 billion hryvnia or 3.1% allocated for operating costs and infrastructure restoration.
Last week, Prime Minister Denis Shmyhal said that since the beginning of this year, the government has allocated 20 billion hryvnia from the state budget reserve fund for fortifications and the construction of defensive lines. According to him, the work is being carried out in close coordination with the Ministry of Defense.
“An important element is the fortification of defensive lines. The government has allocated more than UAH 20 billion already this year to create fortification of defensive lines for the Ministry of Defense. The corresponding headquarters operates on a daily basis, where we also coordinate work with regional state administrations, the General Staff and the Ministry of Defense to ensure that this is done effectively, quickly, reliably, and that our Defense Forces have secure lines of defense and rear,” said the head of government.
According to Shmygal, the Ministry of Defense received UAH 3 billion for these purposes, and a number of OVAs received another more than UAH 16 billion.
But there are other funds - for example, the Ministry of Defense has 1.5 billion for the maintenance of roads, almost a billion for the construction of military facilities.
However, the biggest intrigue is how and from whom Tymoshenko appeared in the ministry. It’s one thing if this is Umerov’s decision, another thing is a proposal from above.
On the one hand, the publication’s sources say that they have not seen Tymoshenko in the President’s Office in the last year, and the head of the OP has never been too favorable to him. Therefore, the version of “the observer from the OP” does not seem so reliable.
On the other hand, the ministry itself hints that the decision came from outside.
“Perhaps he is there simply to avoid mobilization. Or they asked to look after Umerov, so to speak, to spend some time in the department with their own eyes,” noted one of the publication’s interlocutors in power.
At the same time, with regard to the construction of fortifications, the interlocutors here say that the work will be at a loss, not a profit, so the largest players will not agree to direct contracts, but will help with subcontracts. Whereas the marker for the “topic” will be the appearance in the ministry not of Tymoshenko, but of Yuriy Golik.
