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Ukrainian Minister Released On Bail After Corruption Accusations

Briefing by Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food Mykola Solskyi on cooperation with Polish colleagues - 15 April 2023 (Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine)

Updated April 26, 2024

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service

Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Solskiy was released from custody on April 26 after posting bail following his arrest earlier in the day over accusations that he had illegally acquired land worth about 291 million hryvnyas ($7 million).

Ukraine's anti-corruption court ordered that Solskiy be taken into custody following an investigation by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU).

The anti-corruption judge ruled that Solskiy be placed in custody until June 24 and set bail at 75 million hryvnyas ($1.9 million), although the prosecutor had recommended a much higher bail -- 200 million hryvnyas ($5 million).

A press statement issued by the Agriculture Ministry later on April 26 said a bail of 75.7 million hryvnyas had been paid for the release of Solskiy, who "continues to exercise the powers of agriculture minister of Ukraine."

It did not say who paid the bail.

Solskiy, 44, is the first member of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's government to be officially accused of corruption.

After he was named as a suspect in the multimillion-dollar graft investigation, Solskiy offered to resign on April 25 in a handwritten letter, which Ukrainian parliament speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk published on Facebook.

Solskiy's offer will be considered at an upcoming session of parliament, Stefanchuk said.

Solskiy, who was appointed minister in March 2022, has denied the accusations, saying the case concerns a dispute in 2017-18 between state-owned enterprises and private individuals, particularly soldiers, over land that was given to these people "in accordance with the law."

He promised to fully cooperate with the investigation.

NABU said earlier this week that Solskiy, an ex-head of parliament's Agriculture Committee, was involved in a plot that resulted in him taking possession of state land worth 291 million hryvnyas and that he was also attempting to acquire more land worth 190 million hryvnyas ($4.8 million).

NABU said that Solskiy was the coordinator of the scheme, which involved three other people, including two employees of the state cadastral office.

The Agriculture Ministry has overseen Kyiv's efforts to continue to export grain and other produce despite Russian attempts to block Black Sea export routes.

Zelenskiy last year dismissed Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov after a series of corruption scandals involving his ministry and the procurement of supplies for Ukrainian troops fighting Russia in the east of the country.

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